* Partner Post
Faith can unite our souls, but can it be the glue that keeps relationships together in the darkest hour? According to recent studies published in the Journal of Family Psychology, such relationship aspects as spiritual intimacy and compassionate love can successfully guide a couple through many challenges they may face, from parenting to preserving the warmest feelings even after decades of marriage.
Moreover, studies have proved that people who cherish and foster faith are much less prone to cheating on their loved ones than those who don't. These studies help us better understand the bond that ties together marriage and religion, ensuring happier unions. But they are not the only examples of how faith contributes to healthy and long-lasting relationships.
Four examples of how faith leads to a happy family life
Faith allows us to love each other with compassion
Older married couple who strongly believe that marriage is sacred are much more satisfied with their unions as they become a true example of compassionate love. Their beliefs become a foundation for an intimate kind of love that encourages and motivates each spouse to put their loved ones' needs above their own, ensuring that their marriage will keep thriving.
Faith prevents us from betraying our loved ones
As for the worst thing that can happen in marriage, infidelity, the chances of spouses being faithful to each other are much higher when both of them put their religious beliefs into practice, as Christianity among others emphasizes no sex before marriage and one married partner for the rest of your life. But, as studies show, this works only when their personal religiosity is strong. When both partners put religion in first place and follow its principles, the chances of them finding their loved ones' profiles on Tinder are close to zero.
Faith strengthens our relationship with God
After studying more than eighty married couples with children, researchers from the University of North Texas discovered that couples that experience problems with sharing their thoughts and feelings can greatly improve the quality of their marriage by relying on religious and spiritual resources for support. In this case, faith gives them hope and makes them calmer, which helps them overcome conflicts and other issues.
Faith encourages us to become spiritually honest
Couples who share the same beliefs have more chances of resolving their conflicts positively. According to a study conducted by Bowling Green State University, the high degree of spiritual intimacy provides soul mates with enough spiritual power to avoid negative reactions and stay positive when going through a relationship conflict. Being spiritually intimate makes couples more likely to keep their marriage from falling apart after their first children are born.
Bottom line
A happy marriage requires faith - both in God and in each other. Faith is more than a theoretical recognition of His existence. Having faith in God means relying on Him, trusting in Him, and being ready to act according to your faith.
Faith can unite spouses and families around common values and expectations. It can give them the strength to overcome obstacles that could otherwise harm these important relationships. In a successful marriage, the couple trusts each other. And they want to be worthy of each other's trust. Any strong relationship in marriage or family should be based on mutual trust and reliability.
Faith in each other, like faith in God, can help spouses overcome uncertainty and justify each other's high expectations, and it doesn't matter whether they met in a café or on a dating site.
