When we surveyed hundreds of couples young and old about what they wanted in their relationship, by far the most common thing was better communication. Even more than sex or spiritual connection or finances. All those things are important, of course! But communication is the door to intimacy and all other good things.
Gift-giving can be complicated. What does he/she want? How much money do you spend? You may feel pressure to “top” last year’s gift, or to “match” what your spouse is giving you. Some couples solve these challenges by agreeing to not give each other gifts. It may be hard to know what your spouse really wants for Christmas.
How bad is bad enough? When you are unhappily married that can be a difficult question. If you’re serious about following Jesus you are reluctant to consider leaving your marriage. But evil exists in our sinful world, even within marriage. And you may find yourself wondering, Is my marriage toxic?
Something is stressing you out. As hard as you try, your anxiety or depression seems to be eating you alive. You keep falling into the same sexual sin over and over again, and the shame seems too heavy to bear. Perhaps your marriage is simply miserable, and you see no way out. You need help, but it seems you can’t talk to anyone.
