What Is A Faith-Based Marriage?

Why God Created Marriage for Us

Photo by Sammie Chaffin on Unsplash

In the United States, “religion” has become a dirty word for some people. Atheism has become more popular in the past few years and fewer and fewer people are going to church regularly, if at all. We’ve also seen marriage rates decline and Millenials, as well as Gen Zers, are waiting longer to get married or are shying away from marriage altogether.

So what does all this mean for faith-based marriages? What do I mean when I say “faith-based marriage”? Well, in simpler terms, this type of marriage is simply referred to as a “Christian marriage”. There are many places in the Bible where marriage between a man and wife is compared to the relationship between Jesus and the church. Ephesians 5:22-33 is an incredibly popular reference to this comparison. A Christian marriage is based on teachings from the Bible as well. Values such as monogamy, faith, regular pray and worship, trust, honesty, unconditional love, and kindness are all important in a Christian marriage. You may say that every marriage has most of these values as well, but the emphasis a Christian marriage places on these values are much stronger than the emphasis a secular marriage typically places on these values.

“Christians approach marriage as a covenant, a relationship based on promises and commitment, not just feelings - though love is most certainly involved. To speak of marriage as a covenant is to say that the partners make mutual promises about the way they will choose to live in the future, not just declarations of how they feel in the present. The endeavor to live into those promises - remaining faithful to their covenant - will shape their characters over the years.”

A 2017 report found that “religious couples are significantly more likely to enjoy wedded bliss than are their secular peers”. Below are two charts from that study which show the marital happiness of couples based on the church attendance of the couple, the church attendance of their friends, and the frequency of praying together as a couple.

As you can see, Christian couples are happier than their secular peers. That’s not to say that secular couples aren’t happy in their marriages, simply that Christian couples tend to be happier. As a faith-based couple, what can you do to help create a happier, healthier, more honest relationship with your partner while keeping God at the center of your relationship?

Below are five things to try that can help strengthen your relationship with your partner and with God:

1. Pray together daily. Build prayer with your partner into your morning routine. If you and your partner get up at different times, set aside time in the evening after dinner to pray together instead.

2. Practice daily gratitude and appreciation - for each other and for God’s blessings. This can be as simple as sharing three things with your partner that you are thankful for at the end of each day. You can also start a Gratitude Journal and write out 5-10 things every night before going to bed that you are thankful for. You can even start an Appreciation Jar with your partner where you write down everything you’re thankful for daily and then share those appreciations with each other at the end of each week or month.

3. Go to church weekly (or as often as possible). Actively listen to the sermon. Share your thoughts about the sermon with your partner on your way home or over lunch. Make friends and value the church community you are a part of as well. Your church community can become a part of your extended family if you let them.

4. Start a weekly or monthly Bible study with your partner and invite your friends to join you for it. Discussing the Bible can help you grow closer together, as partners, as friends, and with God at the center of your relationships.

5. Find a daily devotional you like and prioritize that time with God. You can complete your daily devotional on your own or with your partner. This is a time where you go to God first and to your partner second.

What practices do you and your partner rely on to help strengthen your relationship with each other and with God? Email me and let me know! I’d love to hear about it!

Remember, God created marriage for us so that we’d have someone by our side while going through life together. Someone to challenge us, love us, support us, and to help us grow. Someone we can practice unconditional love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, patience, kindness, acceptance, and so much more on. Marriage is a reminder to us about Jesus’ great love for us. After all, marriage is compared to Jesus’ relationship with the church. How much love did He give to others before dying on the cross? How forgiving, merciful, and kind was He? How did He prioritize His relationship with God and help those in need? When thinking about your marriage, try looking at how Jesus treats others and His church. He is a wonderful example of the perfect partner.

If you are struggling with your relationship with your partner because of your faith, schedule a Discovery Call with me! We can explore possible solutions to your struggles to help you create the relationship with your partner that you desire without giving up your relationship with God.

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Thumbnail photo by Sammie Chaffin on Unsplash