While surfing the web today, I saw an ad that began, “Will your marriage last? Find out today!” I forget what the ad was for, but that first part certainly made me raise my eyebrows. Why should I click a link to find out if my marriage is going to last when the answer resides within my own home, and within my own heart?
Lasting marriages are created when the following components are present:
The husband and wife respect each other.
They respect the marriage covenant and all that it represents.
They understand the need to openly communicate.
They are honest with each other, and yet kind.
They strive every day to do something to show their spouse their commitment to the relationship.
It is indeed a decision that we make. We wake up in the morning and begin a series of smaller decisions. Should I snap at him when he takes the last of the hot water? Should I pour her a cup of coffee, or just serve myself? Do I ignore his dirty socks on the floor … even though I’ve told him a million times not to leave them kicking around?
More importantly, “What can I do to make his day better?” “I think I’ll call her at lunch and see how she’s doing.” “My co-worker is flirting with me—I’m going to walk away.” Each of these choices, made deliberately, add up to a giant decision at the end of the day: yes, my marriage is going to last, because I choose to do the things it takes to make it last.
A lasting marriage is not a matter of fate. It’s not chance, or coincidence, or luck of the draw, or any of the other things you might be led to believe. The couple who expects fate to step in and make a perfect marriage is the couple who is doomed to failure. But the couple who understands that their outcome is entirely in their own hands is the couple who will succeed.
Related Blogs:
The Day I Really Thought about It
Lasting and Loving Marriage Secrets