I know you’ve felt it. That heart-pumping, stomach-twisting, sickening feeling – that awful feeling when you hear the news about a fallen officer.
It could have been him. What if it was him? What would I do?
Every police wife, at some time or another, has had the feeling like her husband will be next. They’ve had the fear of his fellow officers coming to the door to give notification. They’ve thought about what they would do, how they would go on…
And I don’t have to tell you that it’s the worst feeling ever.
When the man you love puts his life on the line regularly, it can be hard to keep your head. There’s so much stress and fear involved in this life. There’s so much danger, there’s so much pain, and yes – there’s an incredible amount of fear.
The thing is, when you feel that fear, you ultimately have a choice – you can either bow down to it and let it control you, or you can use it for your good.
The 4 Hidden Blessings of the Fear of Police Wife Life
It can strengthen you.
The hard things you have to face in your life aren’t there by accident. They’re designed to help you grow into the person you’re meant to be.
Think about a baby chick hatching out of its shell. That’s a tough shell and a tiny little bird. It’s not easy for it to peck its way through to life. But if you were to help it out, you’d hurt it. Why? Because it needs the experience of cracking its way through to grow and develop normally.
If you can think of your breakdowns as preparation for a breakthrough, you’ll be well on your way to using that fear to your advantage.
It can strengthen your marriage.
Just like your challenges make you stronger, they can make your marriage stronger, too.
By coming together with your spouse in the face of adversity, you build up the tools you can use to face other challenges. You can gain more confidence in your marriage and in each other, and when other, possibly bigger storms come, this experience can help you face them with grace and courage.
If you’re going to let that fear impact your marriage, let it soften you toward your husband and help motivate you to make every day you have together count.
It can help you focus on what’s really important.
When life gets scary, the lesser stuff really gets put in its place.
I mean, really, when it comes down to it, how important is that sink full of dishes? That debt you’re worried about? That time your husband said he’d do something and forgot? Those things totally matter in their own right, but gosh – when you’re feeling afraid for your husband’s life, they kind of fade out, don’t they?
To be clear, I’m not advocating you leave dishes in the sink for days or go nuts getting into debt. Or even that you let your husband slide for every wrongdoing. What I’m saying is, maybe once in a while, let the perspective you gain as a police wife help you forgive grudges more quickly, be more grateful for your husband and your lives, and make the most of each day you’re given – without stressing over the little things.
It can bring you closer to God.
If you can focus on bringing your fear to God, you can end up with a better relationship with Him.
He’s the ultimate comforter. He’s the only one who can give you the peace you’re seeking. And best of all, He truly loves you and wants what’s best for you. When you have a deeper relationship with God, you’re also even better equipped to let your challenges strengthen yourself and your marriage, and help you focus on what really matters.
It’s okay if you don’t know how to pray about it – promise. You just have to start!
Honestly, none of this is going to prevent you from panicking next time you hear about a fallen officer, regardless of where it happened. That fear never really goes away. But when you decide you’re not going to let it destroy you – when you decide you’re going to take that fear and focus on the blessings it gives you – you can take your power back.
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