Six C's To Success

12-21-2009
Six C’s To Success
I attended one of my cousin’s weddings this weekend, and heard a crazy statistic that I had to share today. A study by Newsweek revealed the average couple only spends four minutes a day talking with each other. FOUR MINUTES! When you think about the pace of life the world throws upon us, you can start to see the validity of the studies report. The minister in the wedding did a great job of outlining some keys to a successful marriage so that we don’t fall into the “average marriage” trap.

One of the first keys to a successful marriage is communication. I’ve always believed one of the number one causes of a problem in any type of relationship is a breakdown in communication. We must make a point to communicate our feelings on a daily basis, especially with the person we love.

We must have consideration for each other. We must consider our spouses views, ideas, and thoughts in the decision making process. For example, we shouldn’t simply buy something of value because we like it. It’s right to speak with your spouse first before making big purchases.

Compromise is a must for any and all successful relationships. Love does not demand its own way. My wife is amazing at compromising. She must be the most servant-hearted individual I’ve ever met. She may be the only person that could put up with a stubborn fool like me and still have a smile!

Commitment gives us the ability to see something to the end. Marriage isn’t something we “try”, it is a lifelong commitment to the person you marry. The divorce rate is over 50% in our country and getting worse. We must stay focused on the commitment we vowed to keep.

Courtship is often forgotten in most marriages. Haley and I have our weekly date night every Friday night. If by chance we have something scheduled on Friday, we make sure to have a date at least once during the week. During the date all phones are off, and we give each other our undivided attention. I can honestly say my wife and I have never stopped dating, thus I love her more and more the older we get. I hear people talk about how their marriage has changed, and “it’s not what it used to be.” I’m going to blame the guys for this, because we tend to stop courting once we’ve captured our prey! Never stop dating your spouse.

Finally, there must be one central truth to a successful marriage and that’s Christ. The Bible is very specific in that where Christ is present, you will find success. If Christ is absent, it’s doomed for failure. We are called to love our spouse just a Christ loved the church and His people. In order for us to love our spouse as Christ loves us, we must understand the nature of Christ. Moreover, we must strive to be Christ like in order to love like Christ. If you don’t have a church home, get plugged in, and surround yourselves with a community of believers that provide accountability.

Relationships take work, and we must stay focused on the 6 C’s of a successful marriage if we don’t want to be in an “average” marriage. Have a great day and God Bless!