A House Divided Cannot Stand: 6 Steps to a Stronger Home

And if a house is divided against itself, 

that house will not be able to stand.

~Mark 3:25

You might remember this verse in the Bible where Jesus is casting out demons and He rebukes His accusers when they say that He gets his power from Satan. 

But today I want us to think about the principle of this verse and how it can apply to us today in our homes and marriages. 

We all know how important it is to have a strong home built on a strong foundation. But what if your home is divided?

THE PROBLEM

Your home can be divided in many ways. One of the many ways homes are divided is when the wife and the husband are not getting along. There is arguing and strife, and the roles are no longer respected. The wife is not submitting to the husband and always finding something wrong with him. The husband has stopped loving his wife and shows it in more ways than one. 

The sad part of it all is that when there is not unity at the helm often times things can trickle down to the children and cause dissension there too. Children will watch their parents argue and soon begin bickering among themselves. Shortly after that you might even find a lashing out towards parents as well. 

GOD HAS ORDERED THE HOME

God has ordered our homes and gave us guidelines to follow so that there may be peace and that we may bring glory to Him as we obey Him. It is so important that our homes do bring Him glory because God wants all area of our lives to be in submission to Him. It is easy to hide the messy behind closed doors to our friends and our neighbors,  but we need to remember that God has grace and mercy on us as sinners, and all of us (at one time or another) are imperfect in this area. We can all get off track---but the important thing is to get back on track with what His Word says.

A home in disorder or divided, that is up in arms against each other,  does not bring Him glory. We need to start with ourselves and ask ourselves how did we get to this place and get away from God's Word? Is there a pattern in our lives that is sinful that we have been allowing into our homes?

THE CRACK IN THE FOUNDATION

So often we let sinful ways into our lives and more often than not it begins with our thinking. We want to do things our way, we are prideful, we are self-centered. We want to control and then we act on it. A godly friend of mine used to say--"The battle begins in the mind." We need to take captive every though to Jesus Christ and align it with His word if we desire to have strong homes that flourish. 

I think about the foolish man who house was built on sand versus the wise man who build his built his house upon the rock. When the storms come and the rain comes crashing down--which will be standing? Now, let me ask you--will yours be standing?

SIX STEPS TO A STRONGER HOME

So, dear friend, if you have a home that has been divided against itself take steps today to resolve these issues immediately. Often times it begins with ourselves. Ask yourself:

1. How have I sinned? - Yes, you. Not your husband, not your children. Get yourself right with God first and ask Him humbly to show you the errors of your ways. So often we are too busy pointing our finger to not notice the three that are pointing right back at us. 

2. Do I need to ask for forgiveness? -This can be hard but it is a necessity. Just do it! We can break free of old sinful patterns in our lives when we do this. It helps free us up for walking unhindered in our relationships and with the Lord. 

3. Do I need to forgive? Maybe you are holding on to unforgiveness and somewhere the root of bitterness has crept it's way into your life. Forgiveness is a must. 

4. Do I need to repent and change how I have been living to make my home a home that can bring God glory? It is not enough to ask for forgiveness but true repentance will bring change. Worldly repentance will not. Take purposeful steps to prevent the same cycle of sin from happening again. 

5. What steps do I need to take immediately to bring restoration in my family (with my spouse, children, parents, etc.)? These steps will be different for each person. My thought for you is to pray over what it will be. Ask for the Lord for wisdom and He will give it to you. Seek your pastor or a biblical counselor for advice if you do not know where to begin. 

6. What can I do to ensure that my home is not divided against itself in the future? Keep your home  and yourself God-centered. Be the example and set the pace towards peace and unity there.Pray over your home and remember that a humble and teachable spirit will go a long way. Meditate on God's Word if you struggle with certain sins. For example, if you struggle with anger you could memorize verses like "The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."

Let's build strong homes today

 to bring God glory

 and not let Satan get a foothold

 in our marriages and our children!

Helpful resources:

How to Build a Strong Christian Home