When a marriage falls apart it doesn’t just impact a couple, it affects the whole family. Other couple friends or in-laws may wonder how to move forward while honoring your spouse. Our friend and board member, Jim, joins us as we talk about how to show unconditional love to your in-laws and friends while working to keep those relationships healthy despite the status of your marriage.
One great tool that we talk about is the Prayers to Share Pass-Along Notes. These handy notes are filled with an encouraging quote and corresponding scripture verse. They are great to tuck in a greeting card. Use the code SHARE to save 20%.
Prayers to Share to Affirm Your Marriage
Prayer to Share for Tough Times and Tough People
Prayer to Share to Be Still and Know
I do text my FIL on holidays and his birthday. I have been in prayer asking the Lord to help me to forgive my FIL. There were things he did that I believe contributed to our separation.
I understand how hard that must be to know that a person who should have supported your marriage contributed to your problems. We will be praying with you that healing happens in this relationship and that your father-in-law realizes the mistakes he made. Keep showing your family Jesus!
I try to call my mother-in-law at least twice a month, but she barely wants to talk except about “the weather”. The other members of the family wrote me off after the divorce & act like I don’t exist.
Your inlaws may feel like it was described on the podcast, they don’t know how to honor their blood relative and keep a relationship going with you. Just keep showing them the love of Christ! Just as Charlyne explained, her mother-in-law never let on that she was supportive of her stand until after the marriage was restored. We are praying for you!
It’s helpful to hear a discussion on this topic. There’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution to in-law relationships. It’s also important to note that interaction with in-laws changes with time and circumstances. In my case I’ve been blessed with a very good relationship with my in-laws through the years, but circumstances recently have created a rift. Now I have to seek to love them without much interaction at all and to seek wisdom to know if/when/how to try to re-engage with communication. For me I think it’s harder to forgive a couple of my in-laws than it is to forgive my wife.
Thanks for sharing, JD. We will be praying that healing happens as you figure out how to reengage with your inlaws.
How do you show love to your in laws and stay some what involved if you spouse make sure that your name can not be mentioned by anyone in the family? I am still standing and my husband has divorced and married someone else. I have been 7 years in standing and divorcewent final 4 years ago. It has now gotten to point that he wants to make sure that I am not part of any of my in-laws, nieces, nephews, or any body lives. He makes sure that they are miserable and create drama if I am mentioned. I feel that I losing part of my family and I can not do anything about it.
how to keep maintain your relationship with the in laws when they seem not to care, meet me anymore? I have been reaching out but I face a distance on their end in the midst of divorce proceedings. They were closer than my father. Empathetically, they were told lies and support my husband due to loyalty but I let them know that I am always here for them and they were appreciative.