Blended Family Struggles: Biblical Solutions for Modern Challenges

Blended families are a common and growing feature of society in the United States and many other countries around the world. The truth is, it takes significant effort, patience, and love to make a blended family truly work. While I haven’t personally experienced the dynamics of a blended family, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside and ministering to many who have.

The concept of blended families is not new. In fact, they have existed since the beginning of time—some flourishing, others facing significant difficulties. One of the earliest examples of a blended family is found in the lives of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. God allowed Abraham to father two sons—Ishmael, born to Hagar, and Isaac, born to Sarah. If you read Genesis chapters 16 and 17, you’ll see that Abraham’s blended family faced serious challenges, much of which stemmed from jealousy between the two women as they raised their sons.

Jealousy within families—whether among siblings, spouses, or extended members—can be deeply damaging. The same is true in other contexts: among church members, classmates, coworkers, and neighbors. Jealousy not only fractures relationships but also distances us from God’s peace. James 3:16 says, "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

Life is too short to waste energy on envy and comparison. Material things eventually rust, break, and fade away. None of us fully understands God's plans or why He blesses one person more visibly than another. What we can do is choose gratitude—acknowledging the blessings we've been given and trusting God with the rest.

Let us all take time to appreciate our blessings instead of fixating on what others may or may not have. Peace, contentment, and joy grow when we focus on what truly matters.