I read recently about the purpose of a yoke in training young oxen.

They are put in a yoke with an older more experienced ox in order to teach them how to work well together.

The picture described was of the young ox fighting, pulling and even sitting down—resisting the weight of the yoke. Yet overtime, through much struggle, the young ox learns to stand and walk with the other. This not only makes the path easier, but lighter as well. When the burden of the yoke is shared it lightens the load on both.

Likewise when two people learn how to walk within the constraints of the marriage covenant (yoke) it is not only harmonious, but they are capable of doing more together than they ever could alone.

Still there are times when life knocks you to your knees. It’s in these moments when we must work together to listen, understand and show patient love to each other.

Life is harsh and brings difficulty in many forms—loss, sickness, chronic pain, depression, job loss, financial strain, relational conflicts, etc.

We should not be surprised when our spouse struggles. Nor should we fear when we are the one in need.

If you are the strong one needing to carry the load for a season realize that, if you are in Christ, you never walk alone. He is the third person who chose to yoke Himself to us forever in the marriage covenant. “A three braided strand is not easily broken,” the Word of God says. He helps us in our weakness to do what we could never do on our own. What a Savior!

And our trials aren’t meant to break us, but to show us what we often fail to see…

We are stronger than we know and more loved than we realize.

My encouragement in all this is to be grateful for every moment you and your spouse have together—the easy roads and the ones where you’d rather not walk. It is producing an eternal weight of glory making the weight we endure in this life worth every strain, every tear and every sacrifice.

When have you experienced the need to stop and help your spouse through a difficult time? Maybe it’s now? May Jesus make His presence known to you both in your time of need.