Your Marriage, Your Future, and a Holy Imagination: A 5-Day Reading PlanSample

Day 5: Yield to Vision

To build a lasting marriage, embrace a shared vision for the future. Proverbs 29:18 emphasizes the importance of having a vision, stating that without it, people perish. You need a destination, an image in your mind, a goal to cling to. It’s common to talk about vision when it comes to leading a ministry or building a business, but it’s equally important in our personal lives. What do you want out of this marriage? What do you want things to look like in fifty years? What is the whole point of it? Where does God want you to go together?

We (Katie and Josh) make regular time to think about what we want our future to look like as a couple and a family. We don’t have grandchildren yet, but we already know what our names will be (Ruby and Bear!) and what we want our grandchildren to think about us. This is not a wasted exercise because we are investing today’s thoughts—and thereby today’s actions—in the future. Besides, if we spend all our energy thinking about today’s problems, we may miss out on the big-picture plans we need to enact today. Small steps taken today get us closer to our future destination, and we know there is no better way to say, “I trust You, God,” than to plan our future in His faithful hands.

As a couple, we started taking official “vision retreats” to make these imagination sessions a more concrete part of our forward-thinking lives. While a weekend getaway may not be possible for you, we recommend you put your own spin on this practice. Whether it’s a Saturday or a series of date nights, invest in finding a place and space to dream about your future. The goal is to clarify who God’s called you to be and what He’s called you to do. Don’t forget to prioritize what could be over what is. Ask God to help you envision a brighter future!

Philippians 3:14 encourages us to press on toward the goal and have a heavenly perspective on our journey. Regularly reflecting on what we want our marriage to be and where God is leading us together allows us to yield to a divine vision, fostering trust and transformation.

Reflect

What is the purpose of casting a vision for a marriage? What sort of conversations might come out of a “vision retreat” or just a coffee date where we as a couple talk about where we want to be in five, ten, or fifty years?

Prayer

Dear God, grant me a vision for the future of my marriage. Fill me with confidence and faith in the days you have set out for us, and give us the courage and strength to walk in holy directions. Amen.