The wonderful pursuit of becoming like Christ in character is a pursuit that we Christians don't face alone – we face it with God. The Bible tells us that "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

Because of this we understand that it is God who started the work of transforming us to be like Christ, and is committed to making that happen until He is finished. And because God is creative, I would say that He will use many ways just to do that.

And one of the most powerful means that God changes us with is through our marriages.

Genesis 2:18 tells us that after God gave Adam some instructions, He said "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

In all the pursuits that any person will have in this earth, most especially the pursuits that would glorify God, all of us would need some help. Married men and women, there are no better human partners to help you achieve anything in life than your spouses.

Your spouse is the key

Our spouses are the closest persons we'll ever have in this life, next to Jesus. Think about it. God gave you your spouse because that person there, beautiful and wonderfully created by the Lord, is the person who will help you achieve what God wants you to achieve. No, your pastor is not the biggest help, and neither is the church prayer leader. It's your spouse.

Why my spouse?

There are so many factors by which your spouse can help you become a better Christ-follower. Let's go over just some of them. These are just some of the very things that my marriage to my beautiful and wonderful God-fearing wife has given me.

1. A constant sharpener

Proverbs 27:17 tells us, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." As your character reveals itself to your spouse, they will be able to spot the things that are either wrong or unpleasant or just plain weird. If you have a God-fearing spouse, that person could help you by pointing out to you the things that you need to bring to the Lord in constant surrender until you change.

2. A mirror

Genesis 2:24 and Mark 10:8 tell us that the man and his wife are united into one. This means that whatever you do to yourself affects your spouse, and whatever you do to your spouse affects yourself, too. Your spouse acts as a mirror of who you are and what you do.

Think about the principle of sowing and reaping: when we are loving of our spouses, they tend to respond in kind. But when we are abusive and negligent of our spouses, they respond negatively, too. Because of this, we can check ourselves if we are really growing in our character.

3. A committed prayer partner

Aside from pointing out your areas of improvement, your spouse also acts as the primary prayer partner that you will have. Ask your pastor, and he'll tell you that his wife always prays for him. Having your spouse pray for you (and vice-versa, by the way) is a very powerful and precious thing.