A successful marriage is one that is built on Biblical principles and spiritual pursuits. This focus and attitude positively affect our bond with Him, and they help us to walk together into spiritual unity and maturity. In contrast, a marriage that is built only on carnal aspects is doomed from the start.
There are several characteristics that encourage and maintain a mutually beneficial goal in our relationship. Serving together in a ministry will increase our bond and give us a common goal to support and achieve. We can start this practice by joining a local church that preaches God’s Word and has a desire to affect their community with God’s love and benevolence.
We may have talents in certain areas that will allow us to work with the church’s leadership, and to promote new ways to influence our community to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Providing for the physical needs of our neighbors will encourage them to take notice of their spiritual needs as well.
Teachers can volunteer to lead small groups of children and/or adults each week in order to instruct members in Biblical practices and principles. People who enjoy decorating, cooking, baking, crafting, hostessing, serving, etc. can volunteer their gift to enhance the ministries of this local Body of Believers.
Skipping church meetings for the myriad of other commitments we make is also detrimental and is a matter of priorities (Revelation 3:15-16). The Bible exhorts us not to forsake the assembling of our self together (Hebrews 10:25-31), because a spiritual focus aids our pursuit of spiritual maturity individually and as a couple.
However, getting too involved in ministries can negatively affect our marriage too, because as a couple we inadvertently spend more time and give more attention to church and community members than to our own spouse. However, a happy balance of exerting our energy to meet the needs of each other, our family, and others is possible, if we are led by God’s Spirit as a couple.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for leading us to Biblically sound churches where we can attend, grow spiritually, gain the support and friendship of the members, and serve together in ministries. Remind us that having the accountability of a church family can help us to overcome satanic temptation for us to take part in sinful practices and lifestyles (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Teach us to maintain a spiritual standard in our life that exemplifies Your children and helps us to live a life that is more pure, forgiving, considerate, caring, and compassionate with our self, our spouse, our family, and our community. As we learn to walk in Your Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of our flesh (Mark 11:25; Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32; Proverbs 11:24-25; Matthew 18:21-22; Galatians 5:15-26).
Thoughts for the Day:
As each spouse genuinely cares about each other and prefers one another, our marriage will flourish and our witness in the church and community will increase. This practice will keep our marriage strong and help us to overcome the inevitable differences and disagreements in our relationship. Taking a sincere interest in each other and putting down our phone or computer in order to give one another our undivided attention will also strengthen our commitment and the degree of success in our marriage.
