The Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines marriage as “an intimate and complementing union between a man and a woman in which the two become one physically, in the whole of life.” Two become one physically, in the whole of life—for some, such a phrase is easier said than done. Undoubtedly, some couples never really ponder the magnitude of such a commitment before taking the plunge into matrimony and as a result are uninformed as to what it takes to make a marriage work.
For many, the early stages of a relationship are filled with misleading assumptions and thoughts of grandeur. They believe that their marriages will be filled with mutually rewarding experiences and happy times for all. Likewise, …show more content…
One might think that any marriage that lasts and does not end in divorce is a lasting, healthy, and successful marriage. On the surface such a statement would appear to be true. However, many unhappy and unhealthy marriages never end in divorce. This does not mean that the parties involved were successful; it only means that they suffered through an unhappy and unhealthy marriage and possibly did so when they did not have to. Could such a marriage have been happier? Is the goal to merely never get divorced or for all involved to benefit, thrive, be happy, and never get divorced? Could such a marriage have benefitted from learning and partaking in proven successful marriage strategies? One would have to believe it could. Listed below are six qualities that make up the Successful Marriage Model that this study has to offer:
1. Short Memory/Forgiving Heart. The author of Ecclesiastes said, “Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.” (Eccl 7:20) Mistakes are inevitable, they will happen. When they do, successful couples deal with them. The offender makes it a point to use phrases like “I’m sorry,” “I apologize,” and “please forgive me.” The person that is offended forgives. Successful couples do not let offenses