Reminders

…then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So, these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”                                                     Joshua 4:7

I recently spoke to a couple who, over the years, have become somewhat emotionally and physically distant. They care for one another, they are cordial and friendly, they interact with friends and family- but they have some distance between themselves.

As we talked more, I asked them about the biggest crises they have encountered in their marriage. They named several issues, and we agreed that they have weathered those storms together, and they have remained committed to one another.

I affirmed the fact that they have done this together, and that they may need to spend more time celebrating the achievements of their marriage rather than looking at the failures. Too often in counseling, we can get bogged down looking at problems and perceived failures and, in so doing, we can overlook or actually minimize the successes. The homework for this couple was to recount the times that they have overcome adversities, and to identify and recognize the strengths that they have together.

The ancient Israelites built memorials for the times that God brought them through difficult, even tragic times. In times of feeling hopeless or abandoned, they were to look at the monuments and recall how they were rescued.

We can take a page out of that strategy today and spend more time looking back on the “wins” of the past, rather than the failures.

Prayer: Lord, help us to keep an eye on the positives, Amen