Spiritual Intimacy as Couplesنموونە

Initiating Spiritual Conversations

Jake and Ellen in Indiana, married 3 years

When we started dating, we decided to study a book of the Bible together. It sounded like a great idea until the first day. We were supposed to dive into the study, but I (Ellen) found it really difficult to share my thoughts with Jake. At the time, we felt ready to grow together spiritually, but inviting someone into our relationship with God felt uncomfortable.

Later, we discovered that spiritual intimacy is exactly what it says, intimate. Studying God’s Word is so personal and intimate; we desperately wanted to become closer to God together, but because of the newness of our relationship, it was challenging. We desired the unity that comes from pursuing God and found that unity deepened on a whole new level after marriage.

As we have matured individually, we have grown together as well. We have both invited each other into our personal walk with Christ. And with that invitation comes a commitment to honesty and being open to learning. Every day, we push each other to become more like Christ rather than trying to “fix” the small things we may find annoying about each other that particular day. To us, it’s about being willing to be honest and open, as well as humbly accepting honesty when our spouse points out an area where we can grow.

Hope for the Future

We hope to increase conversations about personal spiritual growth and what we are learning in the Bible individually. God is always working and it’s especially neat and important to hear how He is working in each other.

Reflection

Think of a time when you felt uncomfortable, maybe even fearful of spiritual matters, yet you pushed yourself anyway. How did you feel afterward?

Do you ever feel nervous about initiating spiritual conversations?