In Genesis 2:24 we read, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” This principle is repeated in Ephesians 5:31. God’s pattern for marriage involves the “leaving” of parents and the “cleaving” to one’s mate. Marriage involves changing allegiance from parents to spouse. Before marriage, one’s allegiance is to one’s parents, but after marriage allegiance shifts to one’s mate.
Importance of Psychological Break from Parents
It is what the psychologists call “cutting the psychological apron strings.” No longer does the individual lean on his parents, but rather on his mate. If there is a conflict of interest between a man’s wife and his mother, the husband is to stand with his wife. This does not mean that the mother is to be treated unkindly. That is the second principle, which we will deal with shortly. The principle of separating from parents is, however, extremely important. No couple will reach their full potential in marriage without this psychological break from parents.
What does this principle mean in the practical realm? I believe that it suggests separate living arrangements for the newly married couple. While living with parents, the couple cannot develop independence as readily as when living alone. The dependency on parents is enhanced as long as they live with parents.
Living in a meager apartment with the freedom to develop their own lifestyle under God is better than luxurious living in the shadow of parents. Parents should encourage such independence, and the ability to provide such living accommodations should be a factor in setting the wedding date.
Making Spouse Happy Should Take Precedence
The principle of “leaving” parents is also important in decision making. Your parents may have suggestions about many aspects of your married life. Each suggestion should be taken seriously, but, in the final analysis, you must make your own decision. You should no longer make decisions on the basis of what would make parents happy but on the basis of what would make your partner happy. Under God, you are a new unit, brought together by His Spirit to live for each other (Philippians 2:3-4).
This means that the time may come when a husband must sit down with his mother and say,
“Mom, you know that I love you very much, but you also know that I am now married. I cannot break up my marriage in order to do what you desire. I love you, and I want to help you, but I must do what I believe is right for my wife and me. It is my hope you will understand because I want to continue the warm relationship that we have had through the years. But if you do not understand, then that is a problem you must work through. I must give myself to the building of my marriage.”
Importance of Changing Allegiance From Parents to Spouse
…The principle of separation from parents also has implications when conflict arises in marriage. A young wife who has always leaned heavily on her mother will have a tendency to “run to mother” when problems arise in the marriage. The next day her husband recognizes that he was wrong, asks forgiveness, and harmony is restored. The daughter fails to tell her mother this. The next time a conflict arises she again confides in Mom. This becomes a pattern, and before long, her mother has a bitter attitude toward the son-in-law and is encouraging the daughter to separate from him. The daughter has been very unfair to her husband and has failed to follow the principle of “leaving” parents.
If you have conflicts in your marriage (and most of us do), seek to solve them by direct confrontation with your mate. Conflict should be a stepping-stone to growth. If you find that you need outside help, then go to your pastor or a Christian marriage counselor. They are trained and equipped by God to give practical help. They can be objective and give biblical guidelines. Parents find it almost impossible to be objective.
Honor Parents, but Not Above Spouse
The second principle relating to our relationship with parents is found in Exodus 20:12 and is one of the Ten Commandments: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” It is repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16 and Ephesians 6:2.
The command to honor our parents has never been rescinded. As long as they live, it is right to honor them. In Ephesians 6:1, Paul says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Obedience to parents is the guideline from birth to marriage. Paul’s second statement is, “Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth” (vs. 2-3). Honor to parents is the guideline from birth to death. Honor was the original command and stands forever.
The word honor means “to show respect.” It involves treating one with kindness and dignity. It is true that not all parents live respectable lives. Their actions may not be worthy of honor, but because they are made in the image of God, they are worthy of honor. You can respect them for their humanity and for their position as your parents, even when you cannot respect their actions. It is always right to honor your parents and those of your marriage partner. “Leaving” parents for the purpose of marriage does not erase the responsibility to honor them.
How is this Honor Expressed in Daily Life?
You honor them in such practical actions as visiting, telephoning, and writing, whereby you communicate to them that you still love them and want to share life with them. “Leaving” must never be interpreted as “deserting.” Regular contact is essential to honoring parents. Failure to communicate with parents is saying, in effect, “I no longer care.”
A further word is necessary regarding communication with parents. Equal treatment of both sets of parents must be maintained. Remember, “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). We must follow His example. In practice, this means that our letters, telephone calls, and visits must indicate our commitment to the principle of equality. If one set of parents is phoned once a month, then the other set should be phoned once a month. If one receives a letter once a week, then the other should receive the same. The couple should also seek to be equitable in visits, dinners, and vacations.
Holidays Can Get Complicated
Perhaps the stickiest situations arise around holidays —Thanksgiving and Christmas. The wife’s mother wants them home for Christmas Eve. The husband’s mother wants them home for Christmas dinner. That may be possible if they live in the same town, but when they are five hundred miles apart, it becomes impossible. The solution must be based on the principle of equality. This may mean Christmas with one set of parents one year and with the other the following year.
Speak Kindly
To “honor” implies also that we speak kindly with parents and in-laws. Paul admonishes: “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were father” (1 Timothy 5:1). We are to be understanding and sympathetic. Certainly we are to speak the truth, but it must always be in love (Ephesians 4:15).
The command of Ephesians 4:31-32 must be taken seriously in our relationship with parents: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
A further implication of honor to parents is described in 1 Timothy 5:4: “But if a widow has children and grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.”
When we were young, our parents met our physical needs. As they grow older, we may have to do the same for them. If and when the need arises, we must bear the responsibility of caring for the physical needs of our parents. To fail in this responsibility is to deny our faith in Christ (1 Timothy 5:8). By our actions, we must show our faith in Christ and honor for our parents.
Practical Suggestions:
If I could make some other practical suggestions, I would advise you to accept your in-laws as they are. Do not feel that it is your task to change them. If they are not Christians, certainly you will want to pray for them and look for opportunities to present Christ, but do not try to fit them into your mold. You are expecting them to give you independence to develop your own marriage. Give them the same.
Do not criticize your in-laws to your mate. The responsibility of your mate is to honor his parents. When you criticize them, you make it more difficult for him to follow this pattern. When your mate criticizes the weaknesses of his parents, you should point out their strengths. Accentuate their positive qualities and encourage honor.
The Bible Gives Examples
The Bible gives some beautiful examples of wholesome relationships between individuals and their in-laws. Moses had such a wholesome relationship with Jethro, his father-in-law, that, when he informed him of God’s call to leave Midian and lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well” (Exodus 4:18). Later on, after the success of Moses’ venture, his father-in-law came to see him.
“So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent” (Exodus 18:7). It was on this visit that Jethro gave Moses the advice that we discussed earlier. His openness to his father-in-law’s suggestion shows something of the nature of their relationship.
Ruth and Naomi serve as an example of the devotion of a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law after the death of both husbands. Jesus directed one of His miracles to the mother-in-law of Peter, and she in turn ministered to Jesus (Matthew 8:14-15).
Freedom and harmony are the biblical ideals for in-law relationships. The train of God’s will for marriage must run on the parallel tracks of separation from parents and devotion to parents.
This article comes from the book, Toward a Growing Marriage, written by Dr Gary Chapman, which was published by Moody Press (unfortunately, it is no longer being published).
Filed under: Dealing with In Laws & Parents
(USA) Hello everyone. I am very blessed to have come across this site. So here goes my story. I have been married only 3 months. My parents are older and my father is a pastor. Before I was married I dated my husband off and on for about 6 years. My parents did not like the situation because he had been in trouble when he was younger and we had a very bad breakup that involved my family. Before we got engaged my now husband tried to talk with them about getting engaged but they did not want to hear this even though we had sat down previously with them discussing our intent. So we ended up getting engaged anyways.
Later When we did not attend a family dinner to greet an out of town family member because we were already out but planned to drop by later my family was hot. To add to that my siblings began saying bad things and texting his phone.
Fast forward, we are married now and I am part of my parent’s church. During pre marital counseling with a Christian counselor we discussed me transitioning out of my parent’s church so we can establish our own way. The ministry is in a bind and still need my services. When we first got married he began going for a few Sundays and then he got upset because I was taking too long to transition out of the ministry. My husband still has hurt feelings toward my family and does not want to go anymore but is still pretty cordial. I expressed to my father that we would have to take some time for us to look for a church that fits both of us and we are currently looking, but sometimes I still want to visit the church to help out some, as I was their musical worship leader, and since my departure no one has been found to take my place. But my husband feels we need to set boundaries and not go around them as much. I figured going once a month wouldn’t hurt until they get things together but my husband says by making him go I am not being considerate of how he feels about the situation.
I would probably consider myself stronger in the Word than he but he desires to be the head but feels he can never be the head of our household because I am still doing what my father/pastor needs. My parents are the hands on type of parents, great people, but overly involved, where he comes from a background where it’s more of a hands off approach to do as they please. He feels my parents are controlling and care too much. I feel his parents don’t care at all, which is why I feel like he feels my parents are smothering him.
He feels that if we do not follow how my parents feel we should be that it’s either their way of the highway. He feels I put my family first because of being a part of the church means I tend to go more and do more because they are not just my parents but my father is my pastor and I know the needs of the church. Am I wrong for wanting to at least want both my husband and I to show up together as a married couple? Am I wrong for wanting to look for another church to begin with? Am I wrong for asking my husband to come and visit with me at least sometimes when I go to my father’s church? Is there a way to truly balance husband and family?
How do I make my parents understand that I am not dishonoring them by making a change of church in the midst of them needing help with the church? How do you leave and cleave when your pastor is your father? What do you tell the church about leaving? How do I make my husband feel first? My husband tells me I need to leave and cleave but how do I make him see leaving and cleaving does not mean that he should not have any dealings with them? I have been trapped between my husband being ready and family not ready to get things right to my family wanting things right but my husband not. I am so very stuck… how do I leave and cleave? I do want to own up to my part in all of this as he says I do not support him and I can honestly say sometimes I haven’t because I felt he was being picky and stubborn, but many times I have been supportive because he is right and he is my husband. I have prayed so hard on this subject… any advice will help!!!
(JAMAICA) Hi Serita, I understand how you must feel and I hope your situation gets resolved before it gets to my stage.
I too am contemplating finding another church …but how does one do that and not feel guilty – esp. because my assembly is small and they too need my assistance? One thing I can advise though… don’t make the mistakes I made… know when not to answer and when to answer… and know where to draw the line.
(JAMAICA) I’m a 27 yr old married woman (been married 1 year and 6 months). I’m having difficulty dealing with my parents… in particular my mother. My immediate family is a very close knit familly and my parents are also our pastors. I find my parents to be (in my opinion) manipulative. If I don’t take their advice they use scriptures saying that i’m not being obedient or saying that I’m losing my values. They are VERY involved in my marriage to the point where they know our schedules, finances, sleep styles, etc…
I blame us because initially my husband and I felt guilty when we didn’t want to share info. But now it seems as though everything they do for us means we have to do things for them… What makes matters worst is that it’s difficult for them to draw the line between pastor and parent so anytime we disagree with them or have an argument we end up hearing that we are arguing with our pastors…
The disrespect I face is one as blatant as this: my famaily comes to my apartment and I request that they remove their shoes before coming inside. My mother walks right in with her shes on. When I gently remind her that shoes are to be left outside she ‘kisses her teeth’ dismisses me with a wave of her hand and says “I don’t want to get my feet dirty”. We would be having a heated discussion at her house and she begins to call me names “don’t be a jackass” etc… simply because I’m dissagreeing with her…
My husband doesnt like it. She often calls him an idiot. When confronted about it, it causes an argument and my dad comes to her rescue by telling me that she is my pastor etc… I’m truly sick of it!
Right now we (especially myself) are at the point were there is somewhat of a feud. Just recently, as a result of a big argument I had with them (esp my mother) over them disrespecting both myself and my husband, I was told not to come back to their house (for some reason I felt relief in hearing this) because they stated that I don’t respect them.
My husband also has a hard time calling them dad and mom… he just calls them pastors… In our first year of marriage the majority of our arguments were as aresult of my mothers ‘suggestions’ which were forced upon us rather than us requesting them.
I love my parents… I really do… but their behaviour is driving me away… and the sad part is that our arguments tend to spill over in to church sessions… I don’t want to be a bad examle to other church members… but it’s hard to be respectful etc when even there, both myself and my husband, are being disrespected -even if it is in a subtle way.
At this point I’m almost ready to just let them be and do a cut off… The verse that says children obey your parents… how does this relate to a now married woman? And how do you honor/respect parents that are constantly rude and disrespectful to you… even in your own home? Lastly… where does one draw the line between parent and pastor relationship?
(USA) I am wondering what to do about my husband. I am recently married. I am, unfortunately, most likely going to have to work on both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. His family does a huge celebration for Thanksgiving which lasts the entire weekend. The celebration is about five hours away and I will most likely start work at 9pm on Thanksgiving day, which means it would be a hardship to go.
My husband insists that he will go to the celebration without me, but this leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Isn’t he supposed to be with me first? I’m going to be all alone on Thanksgiving. His reasoning is that he rarely sees his cousins (who live 6 hours away). I probably would be able to go that Saturday, but it seems he is unwilling to compromise. Am I wrong to think that he should stay home with me, at least on Thanksgiving day?
(USA) Megan, I don’t think you are out of line to ask him to stay. It seems selfish to me for him to leave you… maybe you can compromise, maybe work have day and be a little late to the celebration. Best of luck.
(USA) Hello, My son got married to a beautiful young lady. We have had our differences but Praise God all has worked out very well. I was just recently talking to my Daughter in law and she told me some shocking news. Her mother believes that the scripture that says a man shall leave his mother and father… is literally for the man only! Her parents are pastors and I know they know better.
It is putting a lot of strain on my son as he has been told they, his mother in law, are to always be in their life to the point of buying property with them in mind! I think this is wrong as they have their own two children and the mother in law is very demanding of their time… am I wrong to think that the wife as well needs to leave and cleave?
(SOUTH AFRICA) My situation goes like this, I’m am 21 year old man. I still live with my parents because I can’t afford yet to live on my own yet. My girlfriend (22) and family don’t get along. My parents accept her, but not my sister keeps putting horrible things in their head about her. I’m always the middle man and I’m tired of it. I decided I want to join the Portuguese army then I’m far far away and then neither party will have me anymore.
My family is one of my foundations but I love her with my whole heart and would like to get married to her when I’m more financially stable. In the meantime she is suffering so much because of this. She landed in the hospital twice because of all the stress I have been putting on her. What do I do because I don’t know anymore?
(UNITED STATES) Thank you for this article! I actually came across this website while searching for biblical information about whether or not wives are supposed to separate from their parents. My wife and I have been married for almost 16 months now, and I definitely feel like her parents have been too involved for the duration of our marriage so far. I have expressed to her repeatedly in the past that I feel she talks and texts to all of them (her mother in particular, but also her younger brother and father) a bit much, but she has told me that she feels like her relationship with them is normal. I have to admit that this has resulted in some pretty heated discussions between the both of us, and I have wrongly lost my temper because of her position. I have felt like she is choosing her family over my wishes as her husband.
Anyway, I feel like her family has been overly involved for more reasons that just the frequency of contact. When my wife and I have had disagreements in the past, her mother has even interposed herself as our mediator. I kindly expressed to her through a text message that I felt that we were supposed to learn how to resolve our own issues, and it made my mother-in-law cry! She called my wife and talked about how she had lost her daughter. The worst part is that my wife, instead of telling her mom that we did need to learn to resolve our own issues, catered to her mother’s needs. Instead of choosing to follow my lead as her husband, she chose to give in to her mother’s difficulty letting us live on our own.
As our marriage progressed for the next several months, my wife continued to call her mother more than once a day, about pretty much everything. It could have been to ask for advice, or to talk about her day. I felt overlooked, and it must have been obvious to my wife. She would often ask me why I was so quiet and sad all of the time. I felt like there was nothing that I could do, though. She already knew how I felt about the issue, and she had chosen to ignore my feelings.
Within the past few months, I have grown more and more resentful towards my in-laws, as well as to my wife. I have allowed myself to get out of control, oftentimes losing all control of my temper. In mid-November, my wife moved out unexpectedly, leaving me a note. I was hurt beyond belief, and my resentment was increased exponentially. She has been living with her parents since then, and I feel like there is nothing that I can do but leave her alone. All of my efforts to bring her back have only resulted in heated arguments between the two of us, which always end very poorly. At this point, I have resigned to give her the space that she wants. The problem is that with every day that I spend apart from her, she builds her relationship with her family even stronger.
I never wanted my wife to cut off her family, but the amount of involvement and contact was just too much for me. I feel like my wife should have been willing to let go of these things, since I expressed my wishes to her on multiple occasions. I should not have allowed my anger to control my actions, which I now regret greatly. However, I feel like my own sins were not the initial problem with our marriage.
In early January, I sent my wife a long, detailed Bible study that I had completed that included every Scripture that I could find about husbands and wives. I expressed (in a Word document, in an email) that I felt that husbands and wives were supposed to place each other first in each other’s lives, and that each other’s desires should be paramount. I expressed to her very calmly how I believed a marriage was supposed to work, and that we needed to be allowed to cultivate our own life as independent individuals. I apologized for my own demonstrations of anger, and I promised that we could both work on our issues together if she would come back to be my wife again.
To my dismay, my wife did not respond well to my Bible study. She did not feel that I had the right to send her anything of the sort, because it was supposedly my own anger that drove our marriage to the sorry state that it is in. She viewed my study as a self-righteous excuse for my behavior. She told me that I should have been apologizing for what I did without asking anything in return.
Please help me. I am living by myself now, and I think about my wife every day. I do not know where I should go from here. She has asked for space, and I told her that I would give it to her. We no longer talk to each other or see each other at all, and it is incredibly hard for me. I have actually spoken with her mother about everything, as well, and I was encouraged by my mother-in-law to give my wife space. After two months of fighting, I finally agreed to stop trying. If my wife ever wants to come back to me, I will welcome her. For now, though, I am having a hard time coping with the situation.
Was my position about the involvement and contact too harsh? Please give me your honest opinion. All I wanted was to be able to cultivate our own life together, and to figure out married life as independent adults. The problem is that my wife is not interested in doing this. She just seems too attached to her family, to the point that she would rather be with them than live with my desires. Please help. God bless you all.
(NIGERIA) I don’t know what your courtship was like. You should have seen traces of strong family ties in her. However it is obvious she is not ready to be committed to you in this marriage. I sense immaturity on her part. And I guess she is not a strong believer in Christ. Have faith, love is stronger than fire, keep praying and I know she will wake up one day crying back home to you pleading to be forgiven. Love conquers all.
Joshua, I hope things have gotten better since you posted this message. I have no words of advice for you. But I wanted to let you know you are not alone. I am in the exact same position now and I feel your pain. I pray that your marriage will be restored.
My husband moved his whole family in. We had already discussed what it was gonna be. We have a 3 bed 2 bath; we are a family of four and he has moved in another four grown people. To my belief I was beyond pissed, for the past three weeks. Me and my husband have been arguing like cats and dogs and I’m tired. I feel I have reached my limit and I don’t know how much I can take. All I ask is that my husband be on my side, and he’s not. He feels like I’m disrespecting his mom and dad. But if I was they wouldn’t ever be staying in my house.
I know I’m a strong woman; my mom raised me this way. But God, I’m tired and I don’t know how much more I can take.
your wife apparently does not understand the sanctity of marriage which was instituted by GOD and not men. Ask your wife, straight, who does she love more, her mother or you?
Ask her if she is willing to go to a pastor, be that a minister or a priest. I wish you well my friend, don’t forget to pray, yes pray for a solution. Please do not go to a secular counselor as they can ruin whatever marriage you have left.
(USA) I am a Christian and I hardly ever see my only son. If I call or text my daughter-in-law seldom answers even though we have never had a single argument. My son does not carry a phone. I’m disabled and needed help and I called last week. She said she would tell him but I never heard back. For mother’s day I got a text saying “Happy Mother’s Day.” They did not even pick up the phone even though I’m not much of a talker. I only live 13 minutes away. I want to respond in an appropriate manner, but I don’t want to force my presence on them. I never drop by unexpectedly and she has not been to my home in over a year.
(USA) My daughter will have been married 2 yrs. in July. She was working/living about 3 hours away from us when she met her Husband online. He lived 9 hours away from us but she was able to meet and establish a relationship with him because her job took her to his city several times. It was a whirlwind courtship and the first time we met him at our home is when he proposed. Truthfully, no one in the immediate family was won over. I probably disliked him the most but after expressing my concerns with her she insisted he was the one. I was very disappointed but never showed it trying to know him the very few times we have even seen him (I can count on one hand).
They moved to his city because of his job but where his family just happened to live also. He has only been here at Christmas for a week each time and my daughter has managed one visit alone for a weekend, both years. Not much contact. It was implied that after 2 years they would try to get closer so it would actually be possible for us to visit them. I care for my elderly mother and they have a dinky apartment with no room for overnight guests so even if we had managed it we would have had to stay in a hotel. My son-in-law is a teacher and could probably find a position in most major cities. I never actually expected for them to move back to our daughters hometown although it is a booming place and she loved it here but after living within 10 miles of his family and experiencing all holidays with them (even Christmas on the eve) sibling and parent birthday get togethers, trips, shopping, countless meals together I was hopeful that my time would come.
Well, just a week ago my daughter informs me with no hint of what is to come except she had “wonderful news” that they would be moving to Abu Dhabi in August for 2 years (at the least) because her husband had always wanted to teach overseas. Apparently, he had been applying everywhere in other countries til he got a bite and then talked her into it. I feel quite betrayed by my daughter and a bitterness toward her husband. We are not young and an American living in the Middle East in such uneasy times doesn’t seem like a common sense thing to do. As Christians my daughter totally submits to him but when the husband makes a harebrained decision like that just because, I can’t help but think he doesn’t want to know us or have her maintain a relationship with us.
I have never called them, not wanting to intrude. My daughter usually calls me once a week on her way home from work, never in his presence so it’s not like he could feel threatened. I’m so upset and we’re not talking now. Our conversation deteriorated rapidly texting and I don’t feel like I can talk to her without getting emotional. I feel like she has died and I am grieving. Don’t we, as her parents, deserve some consideration? Thank you for any help you can give me.
I am almost in the same situation, his parents live about 12-14 hrs. away from us in another state. They can spend weeks with his folks, but only a day or two with us. Now they’re living with his parents until he finds a job. It also looks as if he might try to get a job 4000 miles away from us because he used to live there before.
There is also my grandson I miss seeing, and it makes me feel so sad. He is not even 2 years old yet. Why is it some parents are preferred over others? I have always been a nice mother-in law and never get involved with their personal lives or tell them what to do, so what is the reason? I just pray and leave all to Jesus, that’s what I do for now.
Emma, I SO sympathize with you. Our oldest son, daughter-in-law, and grandkids, 9 & 4, live overseas (he is a professor in South Korea). It has been a couple of years since we’ve been able to be together, and trust me (which you know) it’s SO hard. The other parents are also the “preferred” ones and get MUCH more time with them (partly because they can afford to go visit and partly because they’re the “home” of choice when visits happen on this side of the world… unfortunately, they live on the other side of the U.S. so we don’t get to spend much time unless we travel and stay in a hotel and such, which is expensive).
I tell you this to let you know that others are in the same situation. All we can do is the best we can do. That’s what God has shown us. Our heart and arms ache, but we do the best we can with this, as it’s possible. We Skype (when they’re available), and Steve and I read books to the kids. We have a box of books we pull from and our young grandson gets 3 books read to him (because they’re shorter) and our granddaughter gets chapters of a book read to her. We do everything we can to make the “visits” into pleasant experiences –talking about their stuff (and not trying to come across as too “needy” or that might make things worse), hoping that will help. And we think it does. But we still ache to spend the time with them.
Emma, my heart goes out to you, from one mom to another, one grandma to another, and one sister in Christ to another. I pray that the Lord comforts you and helps you to focus your energies on what you CAN do, rather than on what you can’t. For some reason, this is the way things are right now, and all we can do is trust God (but still praying that it’s possible for this all to change), lean upon Him, and make the most out of this difficult situation. I hope you will… and we will too. May God bless you as you lean into His arms.
(UNITED STATES) Thank you for your article. I have been given a wonderful marriage and relationship with my wife in which she is my best friend. We enjoy the many blessings God gives to us in His goodness and grace.
I read your article and seek for my biblical advice regarding the relationship between parents and children post-marriage. Specifically, I struggle with the relationship between parents and married children, not with my marriage but in the context of a sister-in-law and brother-in-law on my wife’s side. The sister-in-law, my wife’s sister, is the youngest child of the family and has been sheltered and protected her whole life. My wife tells stories of any who would threaten her happiness being lambasted by my in-laws, with no mind to any reason or temperance.
The brother-in-law has not applied himself to work or schooling and has bounced from job to job aimlessly. They are now in a situation in which they live in my in-laws house, with children. Both sides of the family were concerned this would be the outcome even prior to marriage, but no one gave them counseling accordingly. They receive financial support from both sides of the family and beyond and earn a small percentage of what they need to live on. My in-laws are certainly not in a financial position to help them but do anyway.
I have biblical concerns for their situation but don’t know if it’s properly founded. From a myriad of verses in Proverbs, God forbids laziness. The husband is clearly lazy and will admit to it and his need to gain more substantial employment. My wife and I have brought our concerns to them directly and to the parents repeatedly but are met with resistance. I have sent them your article above for which I received no response. There is an attitude of disagreement with the points you make, specifically with the idea of children physically separating from their parents. The parents on my wife’s side still hold an attitude of protection and shielding my wife’s sister from any “attacks”. I have expressed concern about an unhealthy relationship between my sister-in-law and mother-in-law to my brother-in-law. Apron strings are still tied very tightly. Another brother-in-law of mine, my wife’s brother and wife, have expressed the same concerns as us as well as other friends and acquaintances of the family.
The relationship between us and our in-laws has been greatly hurt by the whole situation. We don’t have much of a relationship at all and when we do communicate, the “situation” is never discussed for the sake of peace. And, yes, we brought it on ourselves as we were the ones who expressed concern for the marriage under discussion. They don’t agree with us at all. I agree with your points above and believe Scripture would back them. The problem is now I’m not honoring my in-laws as I ought to and sin in that. I don’t know how to deal with this situation. I’m at a loss. I know it’s not justified to live with a grudge but neither is there any recognition of a wrong living situation nor desire to change it. Please help.
David, I greatly agree with you that this is an unhealthy situation. Your in-laws are enabling this couple to NOT stand on their own financial feet. There’s a difference between helping and enabling. This could come back to bite them in the future in big ways. How very sad.
But truly David, you have done your part. You can’t MAKE them do what they should biblically or otherwise. You have tried to help both families (actually his family too). If they don’t want to take note, and take this to the Lord and do the right thing by weaning this couple off of their support, then I believe you should let this be. The best thing you can do is quietly pray for them and let it go. Don’t allow this to do further damage to your own relationship with your in-laws. This is where you give your in-laws grace, try to rebuild your relationship with them, and let God be the one to work this out one-on-one with them.
You have done your part, now release them totally to the Lord on this and do your best not to be “I told you so” people when things go bad because of their resistance. Sadly, they will reap negative repercussions from this in the future. Do your best to dust off your hands from feeling any responsibility in what will happen. You have been obedient… so move on and do the best you can, despite it all. I hope you will. May God bless you for your obedience in all of this.
Hi, heres my issues… My in law were amazing and treated me well… Until we had kids! After our first they completely changed (and granted so did I). They treated me differently to the point where it felt like they were belittling my parenting. They never follow the rules I have and make snide comments to the kids that are directed at me. They were upset with me when I returned to work and put the kids in a day home two days a week. They are also at my parents one day and at theirs one day a week but they want them more than that.
I have tried to be civil about everything but after our second it became harder. Anytime I would express my feelings to my husband he would say I’m overreacting and to just drop it. It has come to a point where I no longer go for supper (which is once a week) but my husband and the kids go. My husband recently spoke to his parents about some issues, one being that they need to respect the rules I have for the kids.
Well, not even two weeks later they didn’t follow a rule (right in front of me). I told my husband what happened and he got upset with me and told me to drop it. My husband and I fight about his parents 85% of the time. My fight is that he doesn’t ever defend me but always has excuses for his parents. I’m so torn and don’t know what to do anymore.
Hello Meagan, I know this is a very late response however, I hope you see this. I was in the same situation about in-laws and snide comments. My husband would dismiss it and tell me to blow it off because some men and women are willing to make excuses for their parents dysfunction and expect everyone else to do the same, unfortunately. I refused to spend any more time with them and kept my kids from them as well for their safety since the parents would not respect me, they shouldn’t be around my kids.
Well, my husband started to see how rude they became to him, since I wasn’t there to be the scapegoat, they directed it to him! So now, he rarely goes over there either. In situations like this, everyone needs someone to be a scapegoat for mean people, so protect yourself and your kids and beware of anyone who doesnt believe you, they just do not want to be the one who is attacked. Good luck
My mother in law is from the states and she came to our wedding with her friend. She has a disgusting relationship with her son where they are always hugging and kissing and she is obsessed with putting her hands on his chest. She is also a heavy smoker and is unkept in her appearance and smells like cigarettes. We had a new born baby when she came and we gave her the baby room where she smoked in there and would hold and cuddle and kiss our baby straight after smoking.
We got married and though my family could sense how negative her energy was we just ignored it. At the wedding she did not congratulate me or talk to me and said a horrible speech about us not being better than everyone else. After the wedding she moved out of our house and was staying with her friend at a resort but she dragged my husband along and they had their own mommymoon. I would only see my husband at bedtime. When their accommodation ran out my husband asked me to pick her and her friend and friend’s daughter up and bring them to our house.
That morning our son woke up sick so I asked my sister’s husband to pick them up and he arrived at their accommodation and they told him that they were not coming. They were expecting me to come and pick them up so they could confront me about being inhospitable. They were ready to fight with me so they have my brother in law the censored end version and told him that they were not coming to the house even to say goodbye to my mother and the rest of my family. They left in May and it is almost September.
My husband and I argue everyday about his mother. He said he doesn’t care how I feel about the situation and I’m being dramatic. If I say anything about his mother he punishes me by not talking to me and sleeping in the guest bedroom. He even wants to send his mum’s friend some pictures of them on their mommy moon and I told him that his mother’s friend said some bad things about me and acted selfish and he doesn’t care.
A week before the wedding I had shingles and meningitis and was hospitalized. But when his mother came he abandoned me and did not even tell them what was wrong with me. I tried to be a good host but his mother is in love with him so much that he’s blind to see that she is wrong. Her last night in Australia my husband informed me that he was going to spend the night with his mother at the hotel. I reached out to his mother despite the drama and I said I haven’t been with my husband ever since we got married and I was crying and she said oh yes darling, I will have him for the night because you will always have him. I am hurting in this marriage and my husband does not want any counselling. He said I should go for counselling because I am crazy.
We are not a young couple. We married later in life but have been married for a short time. I have an elderly father who is just barely able to live alone. He needs frequent help and has to be checked on daily. My husband detests my father. He is either rude to him or ignores him completely. I understand that my first loyalty is to my husband. But it is to the point that my husband is forcing me to choose between he and my father. I cannot and will not abondon my father. What am I to do?
Stick with your Dad …you will not have him forever. Do not desert him. That is not honoring him.
Gina, I agree with KW in that you can’t desert your father. But you also need to honor your husband. When you married him he became your first priority. So, from what I see, you have a real juggling act to do here. Personally, I believe I would try to talk to my husband when it isn’t a H.A.L.T. Time = when either of you is Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired (because you’re more vulnerable to having things go in a negative direction during these times). I would proclaim my love for my husband but tell him that you also love your father. Tell him that you know that he doesn’t have the same feelings, and that you will try to respect that as best as you can. (Try not to get into an argument if he tries to go off into ranting about this or that concerning your father –just let him rant… be strong and yet kind in the mission of the message you are trying to get across.)
Tell him that you wouldn’t be a very loving person if you abandoned your father –particularly when the Bible tell us to honor our parents. But because he doesn’t want anything to do with your father, you are going to try to help your father separate from him. You won’t ask him to help, or to visit, or to do anything for him. Tell him you will limit your visits as best you can (quietly trying to do things with and for your father when your husband isn’t around). God will help you to be creative in juggling both relationships at the same time. If you have siblings or other relatives that can help, make sure you get them involved in helping you with your father.
It’s sad that your husband is making these demands on you. I don’t know what could compel him to get to this place. I cry for you in my heart because this is a terrible place to be in –one that should never be. But whatever it is that is driving your husband to these feelings, you have the mission placed upon you to honor your husband, and yet your father too in a backseat kind of way. Continually ask God for insight on this. You will need it. May the Lord give you strength, wisdom, insight, discernment, and extra doses of love and grace to do what is best to honor your husband AND your father. May the Lord shine favor upon you because of the compassion and love you have for both!
Excellent response! And may the Lord bless you as well!
Gina, Your description is brief, but I have to wonder… are you being honest with yourself? You say you understand that your “first loyalty” is to your husband. What is “first loyalty”? At the end you say you cannot and will not abandon your father… Wow! that’s loyalty!… To your “dad”! Do you think your husband is valuable enough to consider it a huge deal when loyalty, honor, and love that were vowed to him are given to someone else? Your husband feels it deeply. Your dad knows better, and he doesn’t care either, apparently (Yes, he does. All men know this, just like they know you don’t flirt with another man’s wife.)
I have to assume, since you mention how much help your dad needs, that you spend a lot of time with him. I think your loyalty to your dad also shows in the fact that abandoning him is abhorrent and impossible in your mind. However, in your heart, and every time you leave your husband at home to go help your dad, you’re abandoning him willingly and without remorse. It isn’t reasonable to expect your husband to be happy about this. It’s huge, and it hurts him.
If your husband knew that that he had your loyalty (not just in words, or token actions), he might be less bitter about time you spend with your dad. You need to ask him what he thinks should be done about your dad, and stick to it. Loyalty doesn’t come and go. Loyalty means you can be trusted all the time.
Honoring your father comes AFTER loyalty and honor to your husband. When it comes down to brass tacks, dishonoring your husband doesn’t translate to honoring your dad, anyway. It certainly doesn’t honor God if you go back on your vow, no matter how sweet or loving it feels to you.
Dear all, Been thinking since I read this article. This is because a lots of marriages have a lot if struggles in this area and only a well crafted and matured mind can actually discern the truth in the separation of parents from their married children. Firstly, parents should remember that they have lived their own lives and should remember to allow their grown up children leave their and make necessary mistakes and adjust to their new partners.
I believe the grand rule to this art of appropriate separation between couples is like the Bible said ‘remove the log in your own eyes’ as ‘against the speck in the eyes of the other’. The husband should if possible keep his family COMPLETLY from their home so also the wife it may sound weird but it is true. The place of honoring your parent should not be in bring them into your daily affairs/successes/&challenges.
Parents love your children only enough to leave them to the person they have chosen to live the rest of their life with. Guess that it may not make sense but daily or even weekly calls to your parents is abominable because the major reason for such calls is to update with near unnecessary information.
Take it or leave it the bulk of must strive in families is in-law based at list 40%-65%. Back to the grand rule; let the husband keep his love for his mum in the past and cleave to his wife and let the wife keep the prying eyes of her mother away from her new family. Even Bro. Paul admonishes older woman not to be busy bodies/minding their own business -I trust they don’t read that part of the Bible anymore.
Let me say this quickly; one of the keys to marital bliss is true separation from wholesome family ties, father and mother attached to their daughter and vice verse. It’s unhealthy for bonding and true relationship. If I may sound blunt -the new couples doesn’t need the consent of their parents to relocate to any part of the world. They may decide to go live on the moon. As long as they’re happy with it so be it. Just give our blessing and let them be. Marriage is so funny. You have a certificate of completion before you start learning the process. It’s a huge institution and a huge responsibility to live up to expectation.
Dennis, you have spoken well. Families should let couples be. They are to plan together. They shouldn’t go seeking external advice from parents or siblings. Though this seeking of advice externally arises when you’re dealing with a man or woman who never admits wrongs. In fact parents and siblings should keep off.
I am facing something similar. My husband has a special love for his family and a deeper one for select members of his immediate family. Anytime we travel home, he leaves me alone at home and runs errands for his people. I don’t mind anyway, but I get bothered when I am not allowed to visit my people or move out with our children. He tells me to go anywhere I wish without the children. It’s so hard to face. I don’t know what to do again. Even when they hurt you, he never reacts until you speak up. He gets angry at you for telling his siblings that they made you angry. I see me living in the shadows around him and his family. They jointly plan family affairs and then you are just told the decisions. Well, marriage comes with various challenges. It only gets better!
We have been married 10 years. My husband loves and respects and honours his parents. He still obeys them too, like a child. I feel third place. It hurts. They spend all their together. When I am finally home he doesn’t spend time with me but still them. I thought/prayed this would change over time but it hasn’t. He is their little boy, not my husband. It breaks my heart. We tried counselling but he doesn’t see the problem.
So sorry Kay that this is happening with your husband. I will never understand why parents can’t see the harm this does to their “child’s” marriage when they insist on still being number one in their lives. Yes, having a good relationship is good, but not at the expense of one’s marriage. Kay, all I can say is to do the best you can not to be bitter –to hold onto the good and do the best with the bad that you can. Don’t allow it to eat away and decay the rest. And pray that someday your husband and his parents “get it” as far as how they are robbing you of being closest to his side, instead of them.
When you married, they were to step aside and allow you to be closest to his side in all decisions. They were then to be in a supportive role of him and you –not in an interfering role. Again, I’m so sorry for this. If you can, try to not focus on this aspect of your marriage, unless by doing so, you can help to bring positive results. Ask the Lord to show you how to best do this –when to say something (and how it is to be said) and when not to, but to put your focus elsewhere in a place that is not harmful. I hope you can and hope the best for you in this.
Hi, I got to know my now husband through facebook, since we had friends in common in the Bible, but we met in person after 2 and half years. The church where we were participating didn’t allow us to have a relationship because they used to have this kind of “marriage by faith”, wich was an arranged marriage by the pastors head of the church. My church chapter was in mexico and His in USA.
For some time I gave up since I was having so much pressure in the church to stop talking to Him and also from my roomates since all of them were shepherdess’ from church. I also had pressure at work. For half of year I decided not to talk to him since he was having a hard time too because the head pastor was his boss, and like me church was everything for him, so he was having conflict for going against what pastor was giving him advice to do.
That’s why he was afraid to come to Mexico, and that’s why I decided to stop the relationship. At the same time, my coworkers saw the situation and kind of depression that I went through, so a guy that was interested in me, they encouraged us to get to know each other. However, my actual husband felt really bad because I stopped having comunication with him. So after 6 months I decided to reply back to one of his many, many messages, and then he told me he left the church and he couldn’t wait to come and see me. So I say ok. I wasn’t that excited at the begining because before he promised he would come but for the pressure of dissapointed people in church he didnt, but he did this time.
Long story short, I’m now in the USA so we can be together and are in His parents house. He has been working from the begining and it has been hard. We had to get married in the court because we needed it to get the certificate for my immigration permit. But there are some things while we live with his parents that makes me feel tired and I feel our relation is being affected. Though we got married, his mother didn’t come to the court wedding. I’m still praying God to heal in my heart.
The other issue is that we are planning to get married in a church, but they are from Iranian culture and his parents don’t go or are part of any church. They are pushing us to marry by the “religion of their custom.” My feeling and thinking is if I wanna get married before God and it is my only wedding and at least I expect to understand what the priest is saying (the service is in another language than english or spanish). On the other hand the custom is that the parents of the groom pay the for the whole wedding. I didn’t agree but still they are trying to start the payments.
I’m really lost I don’t know if I should push my husband to move to an apartment. It is a little bit hard now since he is about to finish school, and because we are Christians, and his mother didn’t tell anyone we got married, so we dont wanna give a bad testimony. Please, I need some christian advice; more than that what I need help with advice to do what is right and what will please God. I have been praying since I think maybe I made a mistake by comming to live here, but I didn’t know any other way to keep the relationship.
BTW…my family wasn’t that happy that I came, but I have been praying so they can support me emotionally but they are afraid I’m ruining my life, giving everything for nothing and that the years are passing. It has been a year since I came. Thank you and God bless you.