Exercise Your Marriage Muscles

Last updated on: October 29, 2018 at 8:00 am by Jimmy Evans

Exercise Your Marriage Muscles 2018-09-28T14:19:18-06:00 Jimmy Evans

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Once, Karen and I ran into a woman in a shopping mall. We had known her previously, but hadn’t seen her in a long time.

She looked fantastic. She seemed to have lost about fifty pounds and was benefitting from a total makeover. We complimented her on how great she looked.

The woman thanked us, and admitted that she and her husband had gotten a divorce. “I knew right away that I had better get to work,” she told us. If she didn’t lose weight and change her appearance, she explained, she’d probably never find another husband.

Instantly I began to wonder: Why hadn’t she put all that effort into looking good for her first husband? Had she done so, maybe they wouldn’t be divorced. Maybe she wouldn’t have to go out looking for another man.

Why is it that we’ll work so hard to impress total strangers—or imagined future spouses—but won’t put in the work to please the husband or wife we vowed to love and cherish for the rest of our lives?

As I mentioned last week, a successful marriage takes work. And the relationship between exercise and a healthy marriage goes far beyond just “looking good” for your husband or wife.

Think of the muscles in your body. In many ways, maintaining a healthy marriage is like exercising these muscles. Maybe you jog or ride a bike or lift weights. You put in a specific type of effort to strengthen specific parts of your body. When you exercise those muscles regularly, you become stronger in those places.

Overall, your body becomes healthier and more attractive.

But when you refuse to exercise—if you get lazy and take your health for granted—your body becomes flabby and unattractive. Your muscles weaken. You don’t have much energy. It becomes easier and easier to just give up.

Staying healthy takes regular, focused effort. You don’t get big muscles by lifting weights once a year. You don’t lose weight by jogging a mile every three months.

Marriage is the same way. When Genesis 2:24 tells us to cleave to our spouse—to pursue him or her with great energy and zeal—it means making it a way of life. It’s something we work at all the time.

Do you have specific aspects of your marriage that need to get stronger? Maybe it’s how you speak to each other, or how you prioritize your time, or how you respond to hurt feelings. Identify your weak spots. Focus on those areas and work to strengthen them on a regular basis. Put in the relationship-building “exercise” with your husband or wife.

Healthy bodies are fueled by strong muscles. Healthy marriages are fueled by faithful commitment and hard work. Don’t wait to shape up your marriage. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you need to do today.

If you hope to have a happy and successful marriage, you’re going to need to strengthen your marriage muscles. Cleave to each other. Expend energy. Pursue him or her with zeal. Before long, you’ll have replaced a flabby, unhealthy marriage with a strong, fit one.

Every Great Marriage

Previous Post

October 26, 2018

Rust-Proofing Your Marriage: The Need for Romance

Next Post

October 30, 2018 Intimate Communication

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 7 Secrets of Successful Families Dave and Ashley Willis Every Great Marriage I Changed My Mind Lifelong Love Affair Love and Communication Marriage on the Rock Our Secret Paradise The Intimate Marriage The Keys to Sexual Fulfillment in Marriage Uncategorized When Life Hurts

Select a Month August 2022 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said: "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Paul John Jude