Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and best-selling author Dr. Paul David Tripp connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

Are you stuck in any of your relationships?

In today's episode, as we conclude our series on conflict, Paul talks about

several signs that reveal you're stuck, and then give six biblical steps for hope and change.

Here's Paul.

I think we had both given up hope. No, it hadn't happened all at once, but that's where we were, hopeless.

Our house had become more a motel than a home. No, we weren't fighting all the time, and yes,

we did manage to talk our way through the bills and the details of our schedule, but our

friendship was just gone. There was little intimacy between us, physically or any other way.

We had read all the books, and we had tried all the skills, but things just seemed to get worse.

I think we pulled away from one another because we were both so tired of getting hurt.

We didn't have a marriage, at least not the kind the Bible describes. We were living in a state

of marital detente. One day I unloaded my heart to a friend. She was incredibly surprised and very

supportive at the same time. She told me that she had been in the same place a few years back,

and she said she would not stand by and let me give up hope.

It seemed pretty intimidating the first time we met with Barbara and her husband to talk,

but it ended up being easier than we thought, and although nothing changed that night,

we left with more hope than we had had for a long time. We met together once a week for months,

and not only did God completely rebuild our marriage,

he gave us the best two friends we've ever had.

I don't know how else to say it,

but I wish more people could experience what we now enjoy.

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