I love the topic of unity in marriage!

In a world where divorce is rampant and even Christian marriages are falling apart in frightening numbers, we need to encourage one another in the design God has for us in our marriages.

Unity in the marriage is not something that just happens. It has a price and that price is our RIGHT to have things our own way. There are no two people who are united on everything. Not on this planet! My husband and I have had a very good marriage for the past 27 years. We are very like-minded on many things. We have a great unity in our marriage but there are still things we disagree on. Does this break down our unity as a couple? It could, if we let it!

One of the things that I value in our marriage is that neither of us demand that things always go our own way.

We realize that we each have our own thoughts, opinions, concerns, views and even convictions. No matter how much we may not see eye-to-eye, we are never willing for it to be left in limbo. Either my husband or myself (depending on which of us is being the BIG one at the moment 😉 ) will push communication, to get down to the heart of the matter.

We don’t demand capitulation from the other, but we both seek to UNDERSTAND the heart of our spouse. We want to know what the core of our disagreement is. And we take it to the Word to find out, more importantly, what GOD’S heart is on this matter.

I’m so grateful that, for us, scriptural truth is the very lifeblood of our marriage and it sets the course for our union. It is the glue that binds our hearts together in unity. Yes, love is there too; but that love flows from the heart of God and it is right that His Word should be the tie that binds.

We have both come to the place that we are convinced that there is NOTHING that can break our unity…unless we ALLOW IT.

THAT is the price we pay. We guard our unity with vigor and passion. We do not allow anything to come between us. Is this easy? No, it isn’t. Sometimes my flesh gets right in there and fights for what I want, regardless of my husband’s desires. But then the Holy Spirit speaks to me and brings His light of conviction to my heart and I remember that the unity of our marriage is more important than my getting my own way. And I know that if the issue is important enough for me to get into a tizzy about it, my husband is loving and concerned enough for us to discuss it – and to discuss it until we can come to unity in that area.

No, this is not easy. It takes hard work. It takes humility. It takes sacrifice. It takes putting one another’s needs as more important than our own. Hey, wait a minute! Haven’t I heard that somewhere before? Oh yes…Phil 2:3-4

How is God challenging YOU today to build deeper unity in your marriage? What ways are YOU thwarting the work of the Spirit within your marriage? How is YOUR communication building and strengthening your marriage today?

(images courtesy of: Flickr Creative Commons License photo credit: Ed Yourdon and State Library of New South Wales collection)
All Scripture quotations are taken from the NASB.