In all of scripture, God asks man to keep one covenant. It’s not a covenant of salvation or a covenant of good works; it’s the covenant of marriage. As we dream up, plan, and prepare for our wedding ceremonies, what’s really going on behind the scenes as God prepares to join two sinful human beings together, supernaturally making two become one?
All newlyweds face initial adjustments or difficulties in the early stages of their marriage, but the key is how we respond and learn from those difficulties for the next round of trials and adjustments life will bring.
Just as conflict is inevitable between two married sinners, external trials and hardships are also to be expected. It’s not a question of “if”, but “when”. So how do we respond to external trials that impact our marriages? How do we shift expectations and position ourselves to grow closer together through the trials rather than drift apart?
As most couples approach marriage, each partner holds unrealistic expectations and unknown expectations. Our unrealistic expectations stem from a lack of true understanding of what marriage really is, but our unknown expectations can be even trickier, leaving us frustrated and confused but not entirely sure why.