There are several things we need in order to survive: food, water, and air to name a few. Just like we need these essentials to survive physically, marriages need certain things to survive emotionally. Marriages need love, trust, truth, patience, kindness, and understanding. When a marriage is deprived of such things, it can slowly begin to die.
When your marriage is barely surviving, here are 3 ways to revive it.
1. Stop Suffocating Your Marriage with Negative Words and Thoughts.
The words you say out loud to your spouse are powerful. When words are constantly negative, the oxygen will be sucked out of your relationship. So avoid these 5 Toxins of the Tongue That Can Poison Your Marriage.
The words you say silently to yourself are powerful too. Imagine the harm when you say to yourself, “I just don’t love my wife anymore. My heart’s not in it.”
The first step to reviving a dying marriage is to stop suffocating it with discouraging words and a negative mindset. Instead, focus on these 3 Things to Remember Before You Call it Quits in Marriage. Combining these three key points with a positive outlook may give you the strength you need to resuscitate your marriage.
2. Surround Your Marriage with Encouraging People.
When I meet people I admire and respect, I tend to pursue friendships with them. One reason I do so is that I want to be influenced by their compassion, giving spirit, or keen mind. In the same way, it’s important that you and your spouse spend time with other married couples who will be a positive influence on you. Rather than spend time with people who love gossip and drama, spend time with people who genuinely want to see your marriage grow and will help you get there. Surround yourselves with other couples who have stuck it out through the storms of life and who will encourage you to do the same. As I talked about in 4 Steps to Marriage CPR, being determined to stick it out through hard times is important in a marriage.
3. Seek Counseling to Breathe Life into Your Marriage.
The idea of going to counseling does not appeal to many people. They’re afraid it will make them feel weak, vulnerable, or helpless. But marriage counseling with the right person can help. On several occasions in our 27 years of marriage, Susan and I needed help walking through some things. So we found a good counselor who was able to advise and encourage us. Here are 4 Ways to Know When It’s Time for Marriage Counseling. You might also benefit from this post, Finding a Good Marriage Counselor.
How have you and your spouse worked to revive your marriage through difficult seasons of life? Leave a comment with your story.