Will you take the risk a wise farmer does to work their field regardless of the unforeseen outcome? Spiritually speaking, let’s compare the farmer to followers of Christ. A good farmer will pour himself out in order to manage his land well. Comparably, Christians must exert energy in order to manage the land entrusted to them in the form of relationships. A healthy approach to most all problems relationally are resolved with much prayer, God’s grace to forgive and ask for forgiveness along with honest to goodness communication! The Lord has taught me how do that last one where I own my part within controversies with a heart for reconciliation.
Journey with me where I compare farmers to believers in how to handle things under our care accordingly: “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19
Most touchy topics are avoided in conversations between family members similar to overgrown gardens ! But like a garden that needs groundskeeping for efflorescent vegetation, family problems won’t alleviate themselves either! It’s not the farmer-less field that flourishes but rather the one well-kept which is plush! The Lord may not be rectifying that situation with your spouse or your kids right now because your pasture is unkempt. He desires you to put in a good effort towards what I call “trustful toiling.” God wants your faith in Him to be put into action like a farmer who can have high hopes of an abundant harvest but unless he puts his hand to the plow, barren the ground would remain!
Jesus is the only real place one can go for the remedy to revive relational turf! During the excavation process, the practice of humble confession and gentle confrontation is necessary. Oh, what a grace it is to tend to those relationships in need of intentional attention more faithfully!
So many people think their problems will just go away. But like God uses the farmer to plant, water and work the ground before a harvest is produced, the Lord uses you to do the same! Some keep getting thistles and thorns because they’ve simply let their plot of land go. And where you cannot always control the outcome, like the farmer has no possible way of knowing if it’s going to be a budding crop or not after all his labor, he still works his land as if there will indeed be a bountiful harvest! 
Sincerely, sweet soul satisfaction appears like the newness of spring when the time, energy and effort goes into settling mutual matters. Although initially it may be laborious like plowing untouched, rocky earth when approaching hard subjects & difficult issues in attempt to mend relationships, it’s always worth the work! Admitting your offense frees you up to wait patiently upon the other person like a farmer who’s finished for the season finds rests in knowing he’s done all he can presently do. And after that time, if the other person responds with clemency, the delight is similar to seeds sprouting in spring! After we’ve made an honorable effort to enrich the dry dirt (attempted to find resolve in our relationships which have been left long parched), we wait and trust the Master Gardener Who gave us the plot to care for in the first place! Thus, EVEN IF the person does not reciprocate, we have peace with God in knowing we’ve done everything required of us like a good farmer. This is called reconciling with both God and man!
So, go spruce up the pasture and have those overdue conversations now! Remove the weeds. Start where you are without looking back. Use the tools you’ve been given to get in the grind! I promise, you’ll never know true joy one can receive until you engage with your spouse and children on a deeper level where the rich soil lies. Sure, you’re taking the same risk a diligent farmer takes every time he puts the plow to the field because promise of a full crop isn’t guaranteed! And yes, sometimes it seems as if the ground won’t budge. But other times, the farmer gathers a greater measure than imaginable! And how will you ever know which it will be until you first determine to cultivate the land?!
Beautiful! Oh my goodness! Relationships are tough at times, but you are right, in the end, the work put in reaps beautiful rewards!
Yes, so true! I think clarifying and owning our faults frees us up to love our immediate family members without interference of anger and all of those other ugly bitter roots which can get in the way. Conversations are necessary but prayer is vital. My hope is to cumulatively carry out both well!