The Choices You Make Today Will Decide the Peace or Pain of Your Marriage Tomorrow
Many marriages do not collapse overnight. They slowly bleed. A careless word here. A silent resentment there. A habit ignored. A prayer postponed. Over time, love grows tired, communication breaks down, and two people For additional resources on strengthening your faith and relationships, visit our prayer section. Applying Christian Many couples have found that Christian marriage advice grounded in Scripture brings hope and healing. When you implement Christian marriage advice daily, you create a foundation that withstands life's storms. marriage advice consistently leads to lasting transformation. who once promised forever begin living like strangers. This Christian marriage advice will help you protect what matters most. For more guidance on building lasting relationships, explore our Christian living resources. You can also find helpful insights from Focus on the Family about strengthening relationships. This Christian marriage advice is rooted in biblical principles that have strengthened countless marriages.1. Do NOT Stop PrayingFinal Thoughts: Final Thoughts
Many Christian couples Final Thoughtspray together, attend church together, and quote Scriptures, yet still drift apart emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Not because God failed them, but because they failed to guard what God entrusted to them.
Marriage is not self-sustaining. It must be intentionally protected.
Amos 3:3 (KJV)
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
As a new year approaches, this is not the time to make vague resolutions. It is time to identify what must stop if your marriage is going to survive, heal, and thrive. Following this Christian marriage advice can transform your relationship.equip you
This article is not written to condemn anyone. It is written to wake you up, equip you, and help you avoid avoidable pain This Christian marriage advice is practical and actionable for every couple.Here are 9next year may.
The new year is not just a change of calendar. It is a spiritual opportunity. What you refuse to correct next year may become what destroys your marriage later.
Marriage is not only emotional. It is spiritual. It is covenantal. And it is constantly under attack.
Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
If marriage is one flesh, then anything that attacks unity attacks destiny.
Here are 9 things you must NOT do in your marriage next year if you desire peace, intimacy, longevity, and God’s blessing.
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1. Do NOT Stop Praying Together
A prayerless marriage is an unprotected marriage.
Many couples pray individually but not together. Others assume church attendance is enough.
Matthew 18:19 (KJV)
“If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them.”
Prayer does not just invite God into the marriage. It drives the enemy out.
Drift from prayer always precedes drift in intimacy, unity, and purpose.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)
“And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
In the coming year:
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Do not abandon joint prayer
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Do not ignore spiritual attacks on your marriage
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Do not underestimate the power of agreement
Marriages that pray together fight less and forgive faster.
2. Do NOT Stop Communicating Honestly
Many marriages fail, not because couples stop talking, but because they stop telling the truth.
Surface communication keeps marriages alive on paper but dead in reality.
Ephesians 4:25 (KJV)
“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
Silence is not always peaceful. Sometimes it is punishment. Sometimes it is fear. Sometimes it is exhaustion.
When couples stop expressing:
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Their fears
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Their expectations
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Their emotional needs
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Their disappointments
They create a marriage that looks stable but feels lonely.
In the coming year, do not weaponize silence. Do not shut down emotionally because it feels easier than explaining yourself. Do not expect your spouse to read your mind.
Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Healthy marriages are built on honest conversations, even uncomfortable ones. Truth spoken in love heals. Truth avoided multiplies misunderstanding.
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3. Do NOT Stop Growing as an Individual and as a Couple
One of the silent killers of marriage is stagnation.
Many people grow before marriage, then stop growing after marriage. They assume love alone will carry everything. It will not.
Marriage does not freeze personal development. It magnifies it. Whatever you stop working on in yourself will eventually show up as frustration in your marriage.
Proverbs 1:5 (KJV)
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”
When one spouse grows and the other refuses to grow, the gap becomes painful. Conversations become strained. Respect begins to weaken. Attraction slowly fades, not because love is gone, but because connection is no longer aligned.
Growth includes:
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Emotional maturity
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Spiritual depth
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Communication skills
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Financial wisdom
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Personal discipline
Marriage thrives when both partners are committed to becoming better, not just staying together.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 (KJV)
“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”
In the coming year, do not settle into comfort zones that stunt growth. Read together. Pray deeper. Learn new ways to love each other. Ask hard questions. Seek counsel when necessary.
A growing marriage is a living marriage. A stagnant marriage slowly suffocates.
4. Do NOT Neglect Sexual Intimacy
Sexual intimacy is not a bonus in marriage. It is a covenant responsibility.
Many Christian couples avoid this topic, yet the Bible speaks about it clearly and boldly.
1 Corinthians 7:3 (KJV)
“Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”
Neglecting sexual intimacy opens doors to:
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Temptation
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Emotional distance
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Insecurity
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Resentment
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Secret struggles
Sex is not just physical. It is emotional bonding. It is reassurance. It is connection. It is vulnerability.
Song of Solomon 1:2 (KJV)
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.”
When intimacy is ignored, replaced with excuses, or treated as unimportant, marriages become roommateships instead of partnerships.
In the coming year:
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Do not weaponize sex as punishment
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Do not allow stress to become a permanent excuse
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Do not assume your spouse understands your needs without conversation
Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled.”
Healthy sexual intimacy protects marriages. It builds trust. It strengthens emotional safety. It deepens oneness.
Neglect here is not spiritual maturity. It is dangerous silence.
5. Do NOT Stop Listening to Each Other
Listening is one of the most underrated acts of love.
Many couples hear words but stop listening to hearts.
James 1:19 (KJV)
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
When spouses stop listening, misunderstandings multiply. Assumptions replace clarity. Arguments become louder because nobody feels heard.
Listening means:
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Paying attention without interrupting
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Seeking understanding, not winning
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Validating feelings even when you disagree
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Being present, not distracted
Proverbs 18:13 (KJV)
“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”
Many marital conflicts are not about the issue itself, but about feeling ignored.
In the coming year:
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Avoid listening just to reply
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Never dismiss your spouse's emotions
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Don't minimize concerns because they seem small to youWhat you
Jesus was known for listening. He asked questions. He paused. He paid attention.
Luke 8:18 (KJV)
“Take heed therefore how ye hear.”
Marriages survive storms not because couples talk more, but because they listen better.
6. Do NOT Carry Unresolved Offenses Into the New Year
One of the most destructive habits in marriage is learning how to live with unresolved offense.
Many couples say, “We moved on,” but the truth is they only buried the issue. Buried pain does not die. It grows roots.
Hebrews 12:15 (KJV)
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Unresolved offense always leaks. It leaks through sarcasm, withdrawal, coldness, passive aggression, and lack of intimacy. What you do not confront today will control your marriage tomorrow.
In the coming year, do not normalize emotional distance. Do not spiritualize silence. Do not confuse peace with avoidance.
Jesus made forgiveness non-negotiable, not optional.
Mark 11:25 (KJV)
“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any.”
Forgiveness does not mean pretending it never happened. It means choosing healing over revenge, clarity over confusion, and unity over pride.
If you enter a new year with old wounds, you are sabotaging your future with yesterday’s pain.
7.Do NOT Compare Your Marriage to Others
Comparison is one of the fastest ways to poison joy in marriage.
In today’s world of social media, curated photos, public celebrations, and selective storytelling, it is easy to believe that everyone else has a perfect marriage while yours is struggling. That belief is false and dangerous.
2 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV)
“But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
Every marriage has a different journey, different challenges, and different seasons. What you see publicly is often a highlight, not the whole story.
When you compare your marriage to others:
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Gratitude turns into dissatisfaction
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Appreciation turns into criticism
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Contentment turns into envy
Proverbs 14:30 (KJV)
“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
God did not design your marriage to look like anyone else’s. He designed it to fulfill a specific purpose, shaped by your personalities, calling, and assignment.
Instead of comparing, ask:
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How can we grow together?
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What is God doing in our season?
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What can we nurture rather than criticize?
Comparison blinds you to progress. Focus keeps you grateful..
8.Do NOT Stop Dating Each Other
One of the biggest myths in marriage is the idea that dating ends after the wedding.
It should not.
Many couples stop dating because life gets busy. Children, work, bills, ministry, and responsibilities slowly replace intentional time together. Over time, romance fades not because love is gone, but because effort stopped.
Song of Solomon 7:10 (KJV)
“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.”
Dating is not about money or grand gestures. It is about attention, intention, and presence.
Dating your spouse means:
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Creating time alone together
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Expressing affection intentionally
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Laughing together
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Talking without distractions
Revelation 2:4 (KJV)
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
This warning applies to marriages as well. Love fades when it is no longer pursued.
In the coming year:
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Do not wait for special occasions to connect
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Do not let routine replace romance
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Do not assume your spouse already knows they are loved
Courtship keeps covenant alive.
9.Do NOT Stop Dreaming Together
Marriage without shared vision slowly loses direction.
When couples stop dreaming together, they begin drifting apart emotionally and spiritually.
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Dreaming together does not mean everything will happen immediately. It means you are still moving in the same direction.
Shared dreams may include:
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Spiritual goals
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Family vision
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Financial plans
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Ministry aspirations
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Personal growth goals
Genesis 37:19 (KJV)
“And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.”
Dreams attract opposition, but they also attract divine help.
When couples stop dreaming, marriage becomes maintenance instead of movement. Conversations become limited to problems instead of possibilities.
In the coming year:
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Do not dismiss your spouse’s dreams
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Do not mock ideas that are still forming
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Do not allow disappointment to kill hope
Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)
“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain.”
Dreams give marriages momentum. Vision gives love endurance.
Final Thoughts: Guard Your Marriage Before It Bleeds
Marriage does not collapse suddenly. It erodes quietly.
What you tolerate repeatedly becomes your reality eventually.
God designed marriage to be a place of safety, growth, intimacy, and purpose. But design does not guarantee outcome. Stewardship does.
Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
As you step into a new year, do not focus only on what you want God to add to your marriage. Pay attention to what God wants you to remove.
Do not:
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Carry old offenses forward
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Replace communication with silence
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Substitute routine for intimacy
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Allow outside voices to dominate
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Neglect prayer
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Stop growing
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Ignore sexual intimacy
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Stop listening
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Stop choosing each other
Biblical Foundation for MarriageEphesians 5:25 (KJV)“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
Ephesians 5:33 (KJV)
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
Strong marriages are not accident-free. They are intentionally guarded.
If you protect your marriage, it will protect you.