Without the love and support of community, I would not be married—at least not to my current husband. When he unexpectedly broke off our first engagement, our friends circled around us offering prayer and comfort. But because they understood what constitutes true healing, they also pressed us to forgive. Their accountable love made it possible for us to reconnect years down the road.
Our reliance upon friends and family during that breakup foreshadowed what we have since learned to be true: If we want a healthy marriage, we must stitch ourselves into a healthy community. Though we vow to love, honor and cherish one person, being sewn into a relational quilt increases the likelihood that we will uphold our vows.
Though no two communities look exactly the same, they share notable commonalities. Healthy communities are comprised of diverse men and women—married and single—some of whom are intimate friends and others mere acquaintances, who want to grow. Because they long for transformation, they regularly confess their sins (James 5:16). In response to confession, a healthy community forgives, comforts and, if necessary, corrects (2 Corinthians 2:6–8).
To read the remainder of the article, please click this link to Relevant Magazine.
This article is an excerpt from my recently released book, Making Marriage Beautiful. you can find more information about this book here.