Elevating Marriage

Are you taking your marriage for granted? It is very easy to do with the hectic pace of modern life and the demands of our various businesses. But neglecting your marriage is as dangerous as neglecting the health of your heart. If your heart stops beating and pumping blood they way it is designed to do you are dead. Likewise your marriage is at the heart of your overall well-being, circulating critical nourishment to other parts of your life. If your marriage stops functioning the way it is supposed to then parts of your life will also die. Marriage is a unique and sacred relationship. It is grossly under appreciated in today’s society. Recent marriage statistics indicate divorce is still increasing and marriage satisfaction is decreasing. Because of the level of intimacy and intensity that comes with marriage, it is the relationship that brings out the best and the worst in us. We see who we really are reflected in our marriage. More clearly than any other relationship, marriage reveals to us our levels of maturity, enlightenment, and evolution. How evolved are you? Look into your marriage and you will see yourself. The sacredness of marriage is the mysterious mingling of our emotional and spiritual selves. Within marriage we can reach our highest potential. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said that marriage is a model of the relationship between Christ and the church. To me that means marriage is a relationship that is both human and divine, carnal and sacred. A healthy marriage embodies mutual love and sacrifice, leadership and service, seeking the best for all involved. This is not about romanticizing marriage, rather it is a call to elevate it to its rightful place. Certainly marriage is not for everyone and not every marriage can or should be saved. Often the day to day realities are anything but romantic or sacred. That, however, does not minimize the potential to discover and nurture that best of ourselves and one another through this special relationship. When we stop blaming our partners and allow the relationship to help us see the truth about ourselves and what we need to change, then we are on our way to realizing this potential.