According to Forbes.com, half of all marriages end in divorce. If this statistic is true, why bother? What is a successful marriage and how is it measured? Spoiler alert! I’m still trying to find answers to these questions.
I’ve been married for 13 years and I’m still learning the complexities of marriage. Throughout this learning curve, it’s my belief that marriages that are God Ordained has a favorable success rate. What do I mean by God Ordained? If you feel blessed to be with someone and can’t see yourself without them, God probably has his hand in it. Also, take a moment to think back how the union was formed. If you are in awe how the relationship fell into place despite the impracticability, God set it up. Let me give you an example. After graduating college, I moved to Florida to start my professional career. I was single and looking forward to living a rather wild life in the “Sunshine State.” Let’s just say God had other plans. Reminds me of Proverbs 19:21(NLT), which says “We can make our own plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” My plan was to live life but God had my wife waiting on me when I crossed the State line. I married the first woman I dated. So much for the “Wild Life.” God Ordained!
Throughout the years, my marriage has grown leaps and bounds. We have always kept God as our foundation. We still have our fair share of trials, but during those times we never mention the “D” word. We don’t put it in the atmosphere because it does not exist to us. When we are in the stormy season of life, we fall back on the Word of God which says, “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another (Hebrews 13:4).” Honor and Faithfulness is non-negotiable in our bond.
We have also learned that open communication is key. No matter how we feel, we let each other know if correction needs to be made. Early on in our marriage this was not the case. We would get upset and not speak for days. This silent treatment gives the enemy time to plant seeds of evil. Evil thoughts give way to evil actions, so I’ve made it a point to over communicate when disagreements occur. I understand communicating when you are upset is challenging but remember your flesh loves confusion, anger and pettiness. Also beware of communication from outside sources. Everyone does not have your marriage best interest in mind.
Another key factor in maintaining a healthy marriage is Praying together. Praying helps each other know what’s in the heart. I standby the quote that says, “A family that prays together stay together.” Jesus also said in Matthew 18:20, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Keeping God involved is the best way to have success.
As stated earlier, I still have more questions than answers concerning what’s a successful marriage. I’m just grateful my wife and I have had more good days than bad days. And that’s because of the principles we stand on!
Prayer:
Lord, Thank You for being the cornerstone in our lives. You know what needs to be done concerning marriage. Give us all the wisdom to decern your will. We give you all the honor and all the praise. Amen
Let’s create a community of believers. If you have any other helpful thought concerning marriage, please let me know in the comment section below. Healthy Marriages can still work in 2024!