Three Activities for Strengthening a Christian Marriage
God takes marriage seriously. In the ancient Israeli culture, when a couple married the husband was required to not enlist in military service and to spend only limited time in business for the first year of marriage in order to bond with his new bride. It must grieve God’s Spirit deeply to see 50% of Christian marriages today end in divorce.
The Christian church tends to romanticize the myth of finding God’s perfect mate for us and living happily ever after; fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives. What we are not told is: a good Christ-centered marriage is hard work.
Our society and church place so many demands on the individual that it is hard for a couple to find quality time together and, as a result, the most important thing – our relationship – gets placed at the bottom of the priority list when it should be at the top of the list.
Fortunately there is now a multitude of helpful resources available for all Christian couples and they are easily accessible to all.
Here are three foundational activities all couples can do to build a strong Christ-centered marriage.
1. Christian Couples Must Pray Together!
The first activity is to pray together. This sounds obvious but statistics show that only 10% of Christian couples pray together. While it would be ideal to pray together at the same time every day we do not live in an ideal society. Make an appointment with your spouse and with God. Even if you can do this only two or three times a week it tells your spouse and God that you a serious and it helps keep priorities straight.
2. Schedule Time
The second activity is to have quality time together. Make sure to spend enough time with your spouse to enjoy each other’s company and to understand where the other is coming from. Have a date night or an executive family meeting. Any label will work. Just make sure there is time for gut level communications with no interruptions. Tell friends & family you have a commitment/appointment you cannot get out of. You are not obligated to tell them what it is. This would be a good time to pray together, and don’t forget to turn off the cell phones.
3. Find Support
The third activity is to find a quality support team. It could be a Sunday school class, a Bible study group or even a senior citizen group in the church. You can have a great group of Christian friends but they may not be able to support you through the rough times. Be careful with whom you confide and with how many details you share.
Part of a quality support team is a good Christian marriage counselor. Don’t panic! Counseling may not mean something is wrong. Machines and instruments last longer and perform better when taken care of. A marriage is no different. While the term counseling has received a bad rap a good Christian marriage counselor can become a beloved mentor and wise Christian marriage counseling can keep a Christian marriage functioning smoothly. Because there are bad counselors out there be sure and find one who is both licensed and ethical. Ask your pastor or someone you respect for referrals – and make sure you both are comfortable with the counselor you choose.
A couple who is committed to each other and to a good Christ-centered marriage can create a solid loving relationship which survives life’s trials and becomes even better over time. Be persistent and faithful. The next thing you know is that you will be celebrating ten or twenty years of a good Christian marriage with your beloved mate and your dear friends.
Great advice. For couples whose marriage is in crisis or for those who are doing fairly well and wish to know more on how they can improve their married life, marriage workshops and seminars are always available, all you need to do is to inquire with your church.