Anchored by a Commitment to LoveSample

Day 4

Help for your Marriage

Nobody knows more about marriage than God. He not only thought up the idea – He put the first couple together. His Word says, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.’’ So, let’s turn to His Word and see what kind of help He has to offer your marriage.

1) Be willing to take advice

Solomon says, ‘Pride leads to conflict; Proverbs 13:10 tells us that those who take advice are wise’. So, before the argument reaches a stalemate and the stalemate becomes a full-blown crisis, get input from a trusted friend or counselor. That takes humility, but it pays great dividends.

2) Don’t stop talking

Even though something seems obvious to you, don’t assume your mate can read your mind. Don’t resort to ‘the silent treatment’. Tell your husband or wife what’s bothering you, even if it means working through a disagreement. It’s when you don’t care enough to disagree that things fall apart.

3) Keep your love alive

Building a strong marriage means falling in love over and over again – with the same person. Paul writes in Philippians 1:9-10, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ." It’s impossible to escape marital stress, but you can control it by scheduling breaks away from the daily grind. Take a walk together, watch a film you both enjoy, go for coffee, do whatever reconnects you. And let your children know you’re taking time out to be together. Not only will they learn to appreciate it, it will help them build a good marriage of their own later on.