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Kelly Basham

Have you and your husband ever faced a hardship so significant that you didn’t know what to do? 

My husband and I have had many adversities in our marriage. More often than not, we weren’t sure what to do about them. 

So what should we do when faced with adversity in marriage?

Let’s look at how Jehosaphat and the people of Judah overcame their threatening situation to see how we, too, can endure when facing hardship.

Seek God

During Jehosaphat’s time as King, he and the people of Judah were threatened by a great enemy. The Meobites, Ammonites and Meunites were preparing to come against Judah. (2 Chron. 20:1-2) 

The Bible tells us Jehosaphat was alarmed when he found out an army was coming against them. However, Jehosaphat did not try to take things into his own hands or make hasty decisions. Instead, he and the people of Judah prayed and sought God’s help. (2 Chron. 20:3-13)

Like Jehoshaphat, you can seek God through prayer and ask him to help you before you make any decisions.

Trust God

In 2 Chronicles 20:12 Jehosaphat says, “…We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (NIV) Jehosaphat and the people of Judah didn’t know what to do, but they trusted God and kept their sights on him, waiting for him to answer.

When we don’t know what to do, we can trust God to help us, protect us and provide discernment on what we should do. We can be confident that God’s answers are good even if they don’t come as quickly as we would like, or they aren’t the answers we anticipated.

It’s tempting to become impatient and shift our focus elsewhere as we wait for God’s answers. But we must remember that God is in control and will not abandon or forsake us. We can persevere if we keep our eyes (and hearts) fixed on God, just as the people of Judah chose to do. 

Obey God

God answered Jehosaphat and the people in 2 Chronicles 20:15: “...This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (NIV) The people were not to fight. Instead, they were to go down, stand firm and watch the Lord deliver them from their enemies. (2 Chron. 20:16-17) 

Whatever God’s answer is, we don’t have to be frightened. Whether we’re told to take action ourselves or wait for God to act as he did for Jehosaphat and all of Judah, he’ll give us the strength to endure. By faith, we can trust God’s word and obediently do what God asks of us, just as the people of Judah did. (2 Chron. 20:20) 

Worship & Praise God

The people of Judah worshiped God for his answer. While waiting for God to deliver them, those appointed by Jehosaphat sang a song of thanksgiving and praised the Lord. (2 Chron 20:18-22)

It’s hard to sing praises in the middle of a difficult situation, but that’s what the people of Judah did. Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah believed God would save them. Their unified worship declared their faith and hope in the God who would save them.   

You and your husband can worship together just as the people of Judah did. By worshiping and praising the Lord in unison throughout your challenging situations, you will encourage one another to press on in faith as you wait for God to work things out. 

With God’s help, you can persevere amid adversity. 

Though an army may not confront us, the things we face can overwhelm us, bringing on feelings of anxiety and dread. Maybe you and your husband keep grappling over a particular issue, and you don’t know how to come to a resolution, or your child is struggling, and neither of you knows how to help them. Whatever it may be, these things can make you feel like you’re facing a formidable foe. 

The next time there’s a difficulty you’re facing and you don’t know what to do, remember that it’s when we take our eyes off of God that things begin to falter. It will take effort, but with your gaze fixed on God, you can persevere despite adversity. 

Wife Step: What is one thing you can do this week to help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus?

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