Why most marriages don’t last! Part 3

Why most marriages don’t last?

Part 3

You can build a strong loving marriage. Working together is key to your happiness. You both have the power to make a fulfilling union. Compassion will help you mutually bond immensely. For your marriage to last it must remain a top priority to both of you.

You are considering getting married? Wow how exciting! You want to make sure you start by building a strong solid foundation. Love, trust, respect and loyalty are a must. They will solidify your union. Your marriage will be what you both make it. It is important to know; many marriages in this 21st century don’t last.

A few things to think about.

Please don’t go into the marriage thinking that you will be able to change each other. There are many resources available when planning your big day. But few think about resources to maintain and build your marriage. For those of you who have never been married before, you must allow for a period of adjustment once married. Living with someone is not the same as dating or being married. The difference is you have not really made a total commitment to one another. You both realize that you can simply opt out at any time…

 

Commit to always treat one another with respect. After the honeymoon period is over remain patient.  Whenever you hit a kink see this as an opportunity to take your marriage to a deeper level. Don’t allow issues that crop up to fester and become sour. Think before you fly of the handle and say something you will regret. It is during this time you need to work together rather than pull farther apart. Don’t take one another for granted. Make it a point to keep you marriage exciting.

A great marriage takes two committed spouses
 

If you have not married; please do not manipulate your potential spouse into a relationship. If you do it will be an ongoing dynamic in your relationship. You should genuinely care for this person and desire to grow together. You want to encourage transparency in order to build a strong secure marriage. Before marrying really have some candid and open discussion as to how you would like things to be in order to see if you are on the same page! Don’t just assume?

 

It is a good to take time and find out more about what each other likes and dislikes. Are you a morning person? Do you sleep with socks on? Do you snore? Are you patient? Do you yell scream and cuss to get your way? Do you rant and rave or manipulate? Or do you sulk and stay quiet, remote cold and unexpressive? Do you think that you should have everything that you want when you want it? Do you want your spouse to do everything for you and be waited on hand and foot and you do very little in return yourself? Or do you like to talk things through… Are you patient kind and loving. If you are you will be able to keep a balance. Or do you quit when the going gets tough?

 

It is the seemingly little things that add up and lead to arguments. It is easier for some to say how they feel when they are angry. Learn to be open and honestly discuss how you are feeling. Don’t make sorry a sorry word. Chill out and warm up to one another. It really is better to say “I am hurting.” Don’t let pride and insecurity dominate your marriage. How else will you settle your disputes if you do not take the time to responsibly communicate with each other? Wait until you have cooled off or can talk without being hostile. Please do not think that by not talking about issues they will go away; they won’t!

A great marriage will last for a lifetime
 

Now that we have discussed some of the not so good things we can move towards what it takes to build a better marriage. You sit down at work and discuss whatever the problem is, right! Why? Because work is a priority and you do not just opt out of your job when things are not going your way. Or if you attend worship you volunteer to do whatever. But when you are at home you are cantankerous? If so this is not good. It is important that you like and respect one another in marriage even more so. Why? Because you say you love this person!

You love them enough to get to know them better. You like them enough to care about their well-being. You care enough to develop loyalty in your marriage. Make sure to have a weekly marriage date. This does not mean you have to always go somewhere. It could just be a quiet relaxed evening committed to spending quality time together. Spend time in the Word together it is a wonderful time to bond. Remember keep your marriage exciting. Life is precious and each day is a gift from the Lord. It is important not to lose sight of this or you will just take one another for granted and improving the marriage will no longer be a one of your top priorities.

Make your marriage a priority
 

Life is about priorities. Take time out to tend to the people and things that are important to you. This is called being responsible. Marriage is the ultimate relationship between a man and a woman. If your marriage is going to last you have to make a conscious effort to work at it.  Keep the embers of love burning to keep it exciting.  Do interesting and adventurous things together!

 

You want to build a mutually satisfying sexual relationship between you as well. Coming together physically as one should be a special time. This is a time of sharing and caring.  A time to experience a time of euphoria together. Marriage is when two can be totally physically one with God’s Blessings. Pray and ask the Lord to help you make this a special time of nurturing, care, love and fulfillment together. It is also a time to be “fruitful and multiply” which is another Blessing from the Lord. You can experience unity when you freely give of yourselves to one another.   Create  a loving environment.  You keep the embers burning by being affectionate and caring towards one another.

 

Each couple is different so together build what works for you. It is okay to have your physical needs met so there’s no reason to be ashamed.  When you have not had sexual relations before, it takes a while to feel relaxed, and become free. It can be quite odd not really knowing what to expect or how to respond. This is natural so be patient with one another. You will have to release some of the things you have heard or thought. Share how you are feeling with you spouse. It will eventually work out. Take time to focus on fulfilling one another’s physical needs. Each couple is different. How often or few or when is between the two of you. The marriage bed is honorable in the eyes of the Lord.

See Part 4

RELIABLE PEOPLE?

RELIABLE PEOPLE?

 

In this day and age it is becoming increasingly difficult to find reliable people.  This is an interesting, fascinating  21st century indeed! Commitment to promises  have become vague or they either are thrown into the sea of temporary amnesia.    Did I say that?  But I thought that you were supposed to…  You have heard the saying *“When the going gets rough, the tough gets going.”  These no doubt(s) are some difficult times.  But God knew way back when  from the very beginning what would be happening now!  This is why GOD is  so AWESOME!  In spite of what is going on if we just  continue  to look to Him,  He will and can see you through whatever comes your way.   For sure one thing remains the same; GOD STILL is, was and always WILL be RELIABLE!

 

Remember,* “When the going gets rough, the tough gets going.”

 

Those who you thought were reliable,  quite often;  you have now found out that was only in the moment.  In order to keep your head above water you have to stay focused.   It is so easy to agree to something when you are on the receiving end.  But when the rubber meets the road and things are not turning out the way they thought.  Be prepared.  When a person has not really invested themselves into something it is easy for them to just walk away.  You know and they know that you have put yourself out for them. You have invested time and money in them and they did not do their part.  But things just have not worked out like they thought ….  So what do you do?  How about having a pity party?  Do you bury your head in the sand like an ostrich?

 

No, instead you must look inward and  upward.  God really does know all and sees all!  You realize that they are much more concerned about how things appear rather than how they really are.   Commitment has become a fleeting virtue.  Nowadays people commit and say “I DO” until death us to do part.  But they “don’t.”   Actually  they initially mean  “I DO”;  but it’s really until  we do not feel the same way about one another  anymore!  Then  it’s time to move on… In order to survive in these tuff times you are  going to have to develop some tough skin to guard your heart!  Remember *”when the going gets rough, the tough gets going”… So now is the time to really get to going…

A good strong committed marriage is possible! But you must allow GOD HIS place! GOD is LOVE and HE wants HIS LOVE to continue to flourish within your marriage!

 

One  must become resilient!    This will help  you to “bounce back” from,  protect and cushion you from any future  unforeseen bruises, bumps, disappointments and burns ahead. Some days may be harder than others but regardless of what is going on  it is important  to know;  God still has everything under His control!    Life is a test;  with God there is no failure.  This is why it is so very important to seek Him above  any and everything else.  Nourish your inner self  with the  delightful Fruit of  HIS SPIRIT!  His Fruit is  always ripe for the picking.  Self control, love and patience  are a part of His  viable life sustaining Fruit.  These are dependable  quality attributes  to nurture in oneself.  They also are reliable traits that will help you weather any unforeseen pandemonium that’s ahead!

 

Life has a way of presenting challenges.   When this happens many  readily abandon  Godly principles,  selfishly regress  and  result to doing what is best for them.  They lay aside what God has to say and do “what is right in their own eyes.”  This has been true from the very beginning.  There has been an ever increasing shift away from  God’s principles for  life and  living.   Now, high blood pressure, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, and or impatience rules instead, they begin to operate in a survival mode.  

 

Many have resorted to simply compartmentalizing their spiritual life to a weekend pastime.  During the week they proceed living life and engulfing themselves in a secular worldly lifestyle where just about anything goes.  Laying aside  “thus says the Lord” and embracing  whatever feels right in the moment.  Operating in a survival mode embraces,  anesthetizing  and indulging in any type of self satisfying pleasure, fantasy or recreation that suits their fancy.   Come Sunday they “go to Church” not really realizing that we the people are the Church…

 

The world has lost the lid and “Pandora’s box” is wide open.   Denial has clouded and shrouded discretion and deceived many.    Caught up in a seductive whirlwind of curiosity,    many have found their place dipping and dabbling in all its self gratifying pleasures.    Many of which are quite often addicting pleasures.  Reliability and  valor  abandoned.  Have you ever heard the term “Pandora’s Box has lost its lid”?  Greek Mythology has taken on somewhat of a reality in this 21^st century.  Ponder this for a moment,  according to Wikipedia;

“After Prometheus theft of the secret of fire Zeus ordered Hephaestus to create the woman Pandora as part of the punishment for mankind. Pandora was given many seductive gifts from Aphrodite, Hermes, Hera, Charites, and Horae (according to Works and Days). For fear of additional reprisals, Prometheus warned his brother Epimetheus not to accept any gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus did not listen, and married Pandora. Pandora had been given a large jar and instruction by Zeus to keep it closed, but she had also been given the gift of curiosity, and ultimately opened it. When she opened it, all of the evils, ills, diseases, and burdensome labor that mankind had not known previously, escaped from the jar, but it is said, that at the very bottom of her box, there lay hope.”

There is no reason to think Pandora acted out of malice in opening the jar, for she was exercising her curiosity, and when she saw what was let out of it, she quickly closed it.

 

God never meant that life as “His child” to become drudgery.  Nor did He intend for us to be unhappy dissatisfied or wanting.  He did mean for us to be responsible and reliable and keep our commitments. As Hid children we should “forever becoming.”   Meaning continuously growing spiritually, emotionally, responsibly and…  Jesus came to point us to a better Way.  He came to clear the path to the “Narrow path” that leads to Him.  Although life takes its turns with Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you have an ever present Guide and Comforter.  His promise to “never leave or forsake you/us”  is TRUE!

 

Due to the lingering aftermath from the global recession many are still impacted directly or indirectly on many levels.  The rich, middle class, poor and in between…  The secure reliable future “nest egg” that was stored and supposedly safely tucked away in many cases was drastically dwindled.   That cash reserved for emergencies that has helped to offset the    climbing monthly budget, or taxes is gone.  The cost of gas, food, clothing and living expenses have skyrocketed. Although the price for gas has begun to decrease; it will never be as cheap as it once was!   Have you noticed how the portions or content sizes as well as the amount of ingredients have changed in a lot of items?  We get less for more.  Bargains are fewer.   Who would have ever thought?   It is very important to put or begin putting your TRUST in GOD. In HIM is where true security and significance lies.   For sure, one thing that remains the same GOD Still is, was and always WILL be RELIABLE! Draw closer to the HIM! Know that ultimately GOD has everything & everyone under HIS CONTROL!

 * It was Joseph P. Kennedy (1888-1969), the father of (U.S.) President John F. Kennedy who said it originally. It was however popularized by Billy Ocean’s song