Fight for Us: Win Back the Marriage God Intends for YouSýnishorn

One of the greatest lessons we can learn from Jesus to help us fight for our marriages is commitment. Commitment is what keeps us fighting for what matters most when things get really hard and we want to quit. As couples, we must be not only committed to each other but also mutually committed to Christ if we want to have healthy and steady marriages.

Being mutually committed to Christ means keeping our hearts tender and responsive to his teaching and leadership in our lives. There is no room for hardened hearts because of offenses or for power struggles or grudges. If every married couple made this commitment—to be intentional in their daily efforts to love selflessly—divorce rates, suicides, and substance abuse would no doubt be drastically reduced. Not to mention increase in the number of marriages that are healthier and thriving! If we approached marriage with two hearts surrendered to Christ and submitted to each other out of reverence for Christ, we could overcome any challenges in our lives.

No marriage is free of conflict. Remember, Jesus promised we would have trouble in this life, and you can bet your marriage is included in that promise. But trouble is no excuse to quit when things get hard. Jesus did not say, “Go ahead and get married, and if things don’t go as planned, you can divorce and get another spouse.” In fact, he said quite the opposite.

Jesus said, “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31–32). According to Jesus, marriage is a lifelong commitment, and divorce as an escape clause for anything other than adultery is not an option.

This poses a challenge for every married couple. When the fiery darts of the enemy are launched at you, your spouse, or your family, how will you respond? Will you draw on the fuel of your commitment, God’s Word, and prayer or will you look for the nearest escape route?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for strengthening me against spiritual attacks. Please be my strength when my marriage becomes the target. Amen.