I went to church at a different time than usual on Sunday and had the pleasant surprise of running into a friend I hadn’t seen in a few months. I inquired after her daughter, who went through a mental health crisis at the same time one of my kids suffered the same thing.
“She’s stable,” my friend replied, adding, “But our marriage is staggering.”
I nodded sadly. It happens a lot. The statistics on marriages that dissolve after the death or major injury of a child, as well as those of children with major disabilities, are staggering. I think this is because traumatic events break our hearts, and while that can allow the heart to grow bigger, the devil will sneak into any crack he can find.
It reminded me that I often pray for people whose kids are in trouble without remembering to pray for their marriages as well. Think about it: We pray for healing for the child. We pray for peace and wisdom and perseverance for the parents. We also need to ask that each parent will draw closer to God–and to each other–through the difficult experience.
I told my friend of one of my go-to prayers for my own husband: Teach me to love him more, better, deeper, through this. And just as you joined us together, hold us together.
And then I promised to pray for them both.
