Stress in marriage is inevitable. The difference is recognizing that marital stress can be positive or negative. There are good kinds of stress such as wedding plans, a career change or planning a vacation. Negative stress can be dealing with conflict with in-laws, infidelity or marital separation
Stress is managed by identifying the stressor and developing an effective response to the type of stress you are experiencing. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What changes can I make?
- Can I find anything positive in my situation?
- How am I contributing to the problem?
- What are ways I plan to cope?
- I am spending too much time on low priority issues?
- Is my situation really that important? Will it matter five years from now?
- Can I accept or forget about these issues?
Slow down and evaluate your priorities. Choose your commitments carefully and eliminate any unnecessary obligations. If you decided that some of your stressors are unchangeable, then accept that you cannot control everything. Instead rely on the sovereign power of God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)