Prayer when you and your spouse do not agree with the church
Written by Vivian Bricker and read by Rochelle Alberti
Bible reading: “Completely humble and kind. Be patient and endure one another in love. Make every effort to maintain spiritual unity through the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:2-3
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There are differences of opinion in marriage. Some friends and family may try to portray marriage as “perfect”, but that’s not the case. Every marriage has its own conflict, struggle, and disagreement. This is completely normal and most of these issues can be solved.
If you and your spouse have a disagreement now, know that you are not alone. The very common disagreement couples have concerns about the issue of the church. My husband wants to go to one church, and my wife wants to go to another church. This may be a common problem, but it can also be resolved through help from the Lord.
When we see the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:2-3, we see him talking to the Ephesians church, saying to him humble, kind, patient, and in love with each other. Furthermore, Paul tells them to make every effort to maintain spiritual unity in their hearts through the bond of peace. It is true that Paul speaks as a collective whole in the body of his followers. However, this could also apply to disagreements you and your spouse may be experiencing now.
The Lord does not want you to be at odds with your spouse. If there is a consistent disagreement, it can lead to you distant from one another, and this is not what God wants in your marriage. Instead, God wants to maintain spiritual unity through the bond of peace. This means we must agree to challenge, and that frivolous things will not allow us to undermine our relationship with our spouse or God.
The art of identifying the church
Before you and your spouse come to the church resolution to go to both you, you need to bring problems in prayer before God. Look at him and ask him to give you direction. He will answer you at his own timing. You may be surprised at how he answers your prayers.
It is also important to talk to your spouse about the church they want to attend. The main questions to ask are:
– Is this church gospel-centered?
– Does this church have biblically sound doctrines?
-A church community made up of truth, believing in Christians who are active in their faith?
If the answer is yes to all three, know that nothing wrong is wrong with your spouse who wants to go to this church, not the church you are currently in. It is traditional to attend only one church, but you and your spouse will attend both churches in another week and see which one feels more comfortable.
Whenever you feel stressed, overwhelmed or unprecedented, share these harsh feelings with your spouse. Your spouse should want to overcome differences. Pray that God will guide you both as you lean against him and continue to seek support from the Bible. The Bible does not specifically mention which churches to go to, but you need to go to a gospel-centric church with healthy theology of the Bible.
It is a beautiful blessing to go to church together as a married couple. Things may seem difficult right now, but I know that Jesus has a solution. Go to him in prayer today and release him all your stress.
Let’s pray:
Dear Jesus, my spouse and I are in a rough place. You can’t decide which church you want to go to. One of us wants to go to one church and the other to another. Sometimes it’s difficult to solve the differences, so you need your help. Be humble, kind, patient and help my spouse fall in love. Help maintain spiritual unity through the bond of peace with your spouse. I believe you can help us through this time and bless us with answers. Thank you Lord. In your name, Jesus, I pray, amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Christin Lola
Vivian Bricker received his Bachelor of Mission and a Master of Arts with a focus on theology. She loves theology, mission work, and everything that helps others learn about Jesus. Find out more about her content on Cultivate: https://cultivatechristianity.wordpress.com/.
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