In today’s society, togetherness is a foreign concept in most relationships. We have our own agendas, to-do lists, bucket lists and goals, and we rarely if ever make time as a couple. However, we can nurture, water, and grow our relationships and watch them increase in intimacy right before our eyes.
God brought us together for His reasons. Even if we marry outside of the will of God, He will use our relationship for His benefit and for our good (Romans 8:28). God teaches us to honor, prefer, love, and commit to one another for a lifetime (Matthew 19:9; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13).
We are no longer single. Keeping a “single” mindset will frustrate us and make us resent our spouse. As we spend time communicating with each other, we will find common ground as a couple that allows us to change and unify our mindset, emotions, and actions.
Marital unity is a topic that we can research in God’s Word and follow His advice (John 17; Ephesians 5; 1 Corinthians 7). It is important to remember that our current feelings and conduct can sabotage the initial flames of affection we felt in each other’s presence in the beginning of our relationship.
We do not want to develop a codependent relationship, nor to continue in an independent mindset after we are married, but to live together in unity with an interdependent rapport. Taking turns planning couple time each week will allow each of us to share in what fulfills our spouse’s soul.
Respecting each other’s private times, idiosyncrasies, thought processes, habits, and personality allows each of us to experience freedom in our own home. Then, we can relax and to look forward to being home together, planning regular date nights, playing together, snuggling together, worshipping together, and dwelling together in unity.
Prayer:
Father God, teach us to discern our mindset, habits, and activities that prevent us and our spouse from forming a “one flesh” relationship. Help us to wait on You and to allow You to fill us with Your Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), so we can have a Godly attitude about our spouse, rather than a carnal, self-centered routine.
Help us to develop habits that foster more intimacy in our relationship that allow us to be of one mind, purpose, and union with You. Teach us to shower each other with compliments, encouragement, and loving comments, rather than constantly nagging or criticizing one another. Remind us to focus on whatever is lovely, pure, true, admirable, praiseworthy, noble, excellent, and righteous in our relationship (Philippians 4:8).
Thought for the Day:
Deferring to one another, admiring each other’s strengths, having patience with our spouse’s weaknesses, and complimenting each other’s accomplishments will strengthen our unity and foster even more positive interactions together; loving each other without conditions makes it easier to dwell together and to look forward to a lifetime of security and harmony with one another.
