Therefore a man shall leave his father
and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
(Genesis 2:24)
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God sketched
his original plan for marriage in Genesis 2:24 when one man (Adam) and one woman (Eve) united together to become
one flesh:
In Malachi 2:14, marriage is
described as is a Holy Covenant before God.
For
Christians, marriage goes beyond the earthly covenant also, as a divine picture
of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church. It is a spiritual
representation of our relationship with God.
KEYS TO STAYING MARRIED:
1.
Face the world together.
The most
fulfilling relationships occur when a couple stand back to back, facing
outwards, not when, face to face, they're so absorbed in each other that they
exclude all others.
2.
Don’t think that you can "Marry the man today and change his
ways tomorrow."
It won’t
work. And anyway, would you want it to? If you succeeded in molding your
partner into your ideal, chances are you’d end up wishing you still had the old,
imperfect model you fell in love with.
3. Explore Family Patterns and
History
Take
time to explore family patterns and history before you marry. For
example, it does matter if his father is an alcoholic. This means he grew up
with specific interactional patterns that will need to be addressed because
they will impact your relationship. It does matter if you have significant
religious differences. It does matter if she does not get along with her
mother. It does matter how he deals with conflict based on his original family,
etc. Identifying family patterns and working on blending them makes a big
difference.
4.
Don’t let trivial things become big issues.
It’s often
the trivia of everyday life, petty irritations as well as small pleasures, that
determine whether a marriage is a success. When you argue, be generous. If
you're in the wrong, give in gracefully.
5.
Pay
Attention
Pay
attention to your partner on a daily basis. Dont’ take the person for granted.
6.
Don't get distressed if you think you've made a mistake.
You
shouldn't be surprised if, sometime early in your marriage, you wake up in the
night and think, "Oh my God, have I made a hideous mistake?’ The answer is
no. You're simply making the transition from the heightened, feverish emotions
of being madly in love to the long-term business of simply loving each other,
warts and all.
7. “Do not commit adultery"
Even in the happiest
marriages, an urge for extramarital adventure may occur. If you make it past
the seven-year itch, it may hit at 14 or even 21 years. If tempted to stray,
recognize the urge for what it is: a temporary itch, not to be scratched. If
your partner strays, treat it as human frailty. It has nothing to do with your
rock-solid marriage.
8.
Remember that even the happiest marriage can be at risk when you
reach retirement age.
Partners who
have had busy and rewarding working lives may find, when they're together day
in day out, that mannerisms formerly hardly noticed become unbearably
irritating, and bickering replaces conversation. If you miss the buzz of a work
environment, return part-time to that world, perhaps in a voluntary job. If you
always wanted to paint or learn Bridge, tap-dancing or yoga,
now is the time to start.
9.
Be polite.
It may seem
old-fashioned and persnickety, but good manners ( “Please”, “Thank you” and
general consideration for each other) really do make a difference.
10. Develop a Constant Positive
Reinforcement
Say
positive things to your partner daily. The power of praise can’t be overstated
in terms of the impact it has on a relationship. Criticism is the beginning of
a downward spiral.
Title : EXPERIENCING A HAPPY MARRIAGE LIFE
Description : Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall ...