Have you taken the time to be there for your spouse? Some of you reading this may be thinking, “He hasn’t taken the time to be a husband, why should I put in any special effort?” “She has rejected me for two weeks. I’m not going to do anything extra around the house for her.” But we do have to put in special effort if we truly want to be there for each other. Marriage is certainly not about keeping score. It is about giving of ourselves freely whenever we have the chance to do so.
A wife and mother who works out of the home all day, and then comes home, cooks, cleans, and tends to the children, isn’t going to have much time for her husband, that’s for sure. So what can she do? A good starting point is for couples to decide together where their priorities lie. What is important?
How is your marriage doing in the pleasure department? Do you have the time and energy to make love to each other, or is it too late and you’re tired? What about the intimacy department? Do you and your spouse ever have the time to talk about your feelings and have deep conversations with one another? Do you ever take walks together, or go on a date to the movies or to dinner? Marriage needs these things.
What about your health? Are you eating wholesome home-cooked meals, staying energized throughout the day, or are you eating too much fast foods and boxed foods and you feel tired and worn out by mid-day? Eating home-cooked wholesome meals everyday is far better for your health and energy levels than anything else.
What about your spiritual health? Do you have time for bible study and, or prayer together? Even if one spouse is not available for devotions or bible study, do you still devote your own time to prayer and spiritual study? Spiritual time together is very important in marriage.
Do you have children? What about them? Do the younger children go to an expensive daycare during the day? Do your children spend needless time home alone after school? Are they staying out of trouble, or are they hanging out with their friends doing who knows what? Our children need us.
If couples have forsaken the blessings of marriage and family over a wife and mother working just so they can make more money, then maybe it is time to recheck and rethink a few priorities and see what is important. Having a happy and satisfied marriage is important, is it not? Having good health, spiritually and physically is very important as well. And obviously the health and welfare of our children is important too.
So what makes money such a high priority in our lives? Is it fear of not having anything? Is it because most American’s are in debt and they have to work even harder to pay off that debt? Are we managing our marriage properly, or just managing the money we earn so we can have more stuff? Couples work, labor and toil all day long and then don’t have time for each other. The sad thing is, they also do not have time for God. What is important?