Courtship in a Loving Marriage

Desiring a Godly Marriage

A successful Godly marriage comes with a price—the price of time. As important as they may be, praying for and communicating with your spouse aren't the only areas of marriage we should work on. If we want our relationship with our beloved to be that of a biblical story, we are going to have to be willing to make time for it.

In the beginning of a courtship, we purpose to make time for each other. Once the reality of bills, family, house repairs, and “what’s for dinner tonight” take hold, it is then we seem to forget there is so much more to marriage.

Purpose is Key to a Successful Marriage

Purpose to spend time with your spouse, even if it is only going for a walk or cooking a meal together. If your spouse is not as excited about that as you are, meet them where they are at that time: watch the game with him; go shopping with her; watch a movie together. You have to start somewhere.

There are also a few other productive ways to invest time in your spouse.

1. Pray for them.
2. Surprise each other with gifts or favors.
3. Speak words of life over them, to them, and to others.
4. Write down the qualities that attracted you to them in the first place. Share it with them.
5. Greet each other with enthusiasm.
6. Relax, visit, sightsee, and eat together.
7. Don’t overlook the little courtesies, encouragements, and affectionate acts.
8. Try to “out-love” each other.
9. Don’t try to take more out of your marriage than you put into it.

Revive Your Courtship

Make the time to continue—or revive—your courtship into your married life. Successful marriages don’t just happen; they must be developed. Don’t take one another for granted or the resulting monotony could harm your marriage. Keep your love for one another growing by expressing it to each other; otherwise, love might fade and you could drift apart. Love and happiness are not found by seeking them for yourself, but rather by giving them to others. So spend as much time as possible doing things together. Lack of love is the biggest destroyer of marriage.

RESPOND:

Dear Lord, please give me Your grace to purpose to spend time reviving my relationship with my spouse. Thank You for Your Word and Your Spirit that guide me. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:

A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George will help you embrace God's plans for you, and you will find real purpose in a life of prayer and practicing God's priorities as you become A Woman After God's Own Heart®.

REFLECT:

In the past you thought investing time in each other was important to your relationship with your beloved, so why wouldn’t it be important today?

REMEMBER:

If you want your relationship with your beloved to be that of a biblical story, you are going to have to be willing to make time for it. Successful marriages don’t just happen; they must be developed.