Articles
Lifetime Marriage Happiness
Eleanor and Frank Turner enjoyed 64 years of happy marital bliss together. When they both vowed “until death do we part,” they lived and died by it! They both died of natural causes on the same day — and only nine hours part from one another. God created marriage for the lifetime happiness of both the husband and wife. Sadly, we are living in a “disposable marriages” culture where up to 50% of marriages end in divorce.
How can happiness last a lifetime in your marriage?
Make The Bible Your Marriage Manuel
God wrote the book on marriage and life — the Bible. When spouses seek the same goals in life, marriage will be more fulfilling. It is good for spouses to share the same financial and family goals, but having only material goals will not build your marriage bliss on the rock – Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).
When both a husband and wife want to please Jesus first, they will want to please their spouse second, and self last.
It's A Lifelong Commitment
Jesus affirmed marriage is a permanent union between a man and woman (Matthew 19:3-9). Today, many people see marriage as a casual test-drive, but Jesus said, “what God has joined together, let not man separate” (19:6). If you take your marriage vows “lightly”, your marriage may break up for immature and silly reasons. Hurts and unresolved conflicts prevent a marriage from being happy and lasting.
Understanding God’s view of marriage as a lifelong commitment makes a husband and wife more committed to working through disagreements — and compromise more. Mature marriages are forged by couples who work through their problems, and together they achieve higher happiness and satisfaction in their marriage!
It’s A 100-100 Proposition
The slogan “marriage is a 50-50 proposition” is sometimes heard and sounds logical, but it’s fatally flawed! In practice it means “If you will do your part, I will do mine.” Unfortunately, this motto leads to frustrations because there are times in every marriage when someone fails to live up to their expected roles. In a 50-50 marriage this causes the other partner to refuse to do his or her 50 percent.
In a 100-100 marriage, a husband loves God and his wife enough to always give his best to the marriage. Wives should live likewise. The childish attitudes “I will only hug him IF he hugs me first” or “I will only apologize for what I said IF she does first” subtracts happiness from a marriage. God expects each partner to fulfill his and her responsibilities 100%, even if the other spouse does or not!
My Spouse Has Distinctive Needs
God created man and woman different and unique. Both husband and wife have different needs in marriage. God teaches husbands and wives to meet their partner’s needs, “Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).
What does a wife need? To feel love. To hear she is loved. To receive daily compliments, the thrill of a little gift, and remembering special dates. What does a husband need? To be respected and know his wife really thinks that he is the greatest. To be assured of her admiration, especially when he fails sometimes. To know that his wife depends on him, just as the church is dependent on Christ.
The key to God’s blessings and happiness in marriage is to make it your life's goal to meet the happiness of your spouse. In doing so, you will see your own happiness is met by God and your spouse. “Give, and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38).
