Nobody knows more about marriage than God. He not only thought up the idea – He put the first couple together. And His Word says, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.’’ So let’s turn to His Word and see what kind of help He has to offer your marriage. 1) Be willing to take advice. Solomon says, ‘Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise’ (Proverbs 13:10 NLT). So before the argument reaches a stalemate and the stalemate becomes a full-blown crisis, get input from a trusted friend or counsellor. That takes humility, but it pays great dividends. 2) Don’t stop talking. Even though something seems obvious to you, don’t assume your mate can read your mind. And don’t resort to ‘the silent treatment’. Tell your husband or wife what’s bothering you, even if it means working through a disagreement. It’s when you don’t care enough to disagree that things fall apart. 3) Keep your love alive. Building a strong marriage means falling in love over and over again – with the same person. Paul writes, ‘Use your head…so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush’ (Philippians 1:9 MSG). It’s impossible to escape marital stress, but you can control it by scheduling breaks away from the daily grind. Take a walk together, watch a film you both enjoy, go for coffee, do whatever reconnects you. And let your children know you’re taking time out to be together. Not only will they learn to appreciate it, it will help them build a good marriage of their own later on.
