#3 – Make sure your spiritual life is strong

I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, quite the opposite actually. When I gave my life to Christ during high school and started going to church regularly, I was kicked out of my house for my beliefs.

From that time on, I focused all my attention on becoming a strong Christian, and had high standards for the man I would marry. I had specific ideas of what I thought a Christian marriage would be like, and imagined that we would spend all our free time being in love and praying and reading scripture and having impromptu worship sessions.

As you can imagine, this resulted in quite a shock of reality for me! I had myself so convinced that, once you’re married, your husband will lead and guide you spiritually, and that spiritual life would be experienced solely as a couple.

My husband is a spectacular Christian man, but he has not yet reached a place of spiritually leading me. He isn’t passionate about worship. He doesn’t hunger for spiritual disciplines the same way I do. Many days it just doesn’t even occur to him that we should pray together.

For the first few years of our marriage, I became very spiritually lazy, waiting for him to lead. One day I found a prayer journal of mine from college, and as I read through it I thought, “I can’t believe I used to pray this fervently! I can’t believe the faith I had!” It was at that point that I knew that I must take full responsibility for my spiritual life. Here’s what I started doing:

• Praying daily: instead of waiting for someone to invite me to pray, I make a point of spending time everyday talking with God. I tell him everything; my concerns, my joys, my fears and the things I think are funny.
• Reading scripture: God has given us everything we need to live life His way, and it can all be found in the Bible!
• Regular fasting: this spiritual discipline is so often overlooked, and yet there is so much blessing when we set ourselves aside and press in to God for a designated time!

As I have taken responsibility for my spiritual life, my marriage has improved tremendously. God has drawn near to me in times when our marriage was difficult and painful. I have found scripture to cling to in faith for things I hope for.

As I wait for God to cultivate spiritual leadership in my husband, I find that God has stepped in doing double duty of leading and inspiring me in my walk with him. I also believe that God will use my discipline to inspire my husband’s spiritual life. One of the BEST things I can do for my marriage is to put my relationship with God as my highest priority.

Let’s take it to The League! Is your husband the spiritual head of your family? What do you do to keep your spiritual life where it should be?

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Photo credits: stock.xchng – Bible, Hallelujah