Friends To Call On – Members Content
When couples experience difficulties…
..in their marriage and doubts about their spouse, they often feel very alone and unsupported. The friends and family who were so active and involved when they were celebrating their wedding tend to ‘mind their own business’ and try not to interfere when the relationship begins to dissolve. This comes from their kindness and their unwillingness to hurt the couple who is obviously already in great pain.
However, this is not in the best interests of the marriage. When couples are under stress, they need a strong community to remind them that their marriage is far more important than any issue that may be presently dividing them. All couples experience disillusionment and times of difficulty in their marriage. It is during these times, that the friends in a couple’s life can be the difference between their marriage dissolving or surviving and growing into a richer bond.
Therefore, it is important for you to surround yourselves with people who will challenge you and support you in living your marriage to its fullest.
These ‘true’ friends will gently remind you of your spouse’s wonderful qualities when you complain about him or her. They will challenge you when you are being irresponsible or negligent toward your spouse. And they will turn you back toward each other when you are tempted to fill your need for intimacy outside the marriage.
And you will do the same for them.
Many faith communities offer opportunities for couples to form these supporting friendships. Some churches offer ‘do-it-yourself’ small group programmes that assist couples who are already friends to build a support community. In the Catholic Church many communities offer parish-based groups for couples or families or have access to networks that reach across wider areas. The Marriage Resource Centre has a number of options for couples wishing to extend and renew their marriage.
