The Stand-off

by Dr. Gary Chapman

It only takes one person to break the silence. Have you been standing off, refusing to give in and call, waiting for your spouse to make the first move? Why wait? An effort to communicate that you care, that you are open to working on the relationship may be all that it takes to get the process going.

"He failed me. Why should I try to reconcile with him?" That line of reasoning is perfectly normal, but not biblical. In Matthew 18, Jesus instructs us to reach out to those who have sinned against us and seek reconcile. If they won't turn from their sin, then we take someone with us and lovingly confront them again. If they still refuse to talk with us, then we turn them over to God. We pray for them. We seek to win them by the love of Christ in us.

Reconciliation is hard in any relationship, and it's even harder in marriage. But God is good. He offers healing. If you and your spouse have been separated in the past but are now reconciled, share an encouraging story for others who may be in that situation right now.

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