Spring Is in the Air! Is It Also in Your Marriage?

Spring is my favorite season. Although winter is somewhat short and relatively mild where I live in Mississippi, I still struggle with it. I find myself searching the trees every day for glimpses of the “buds of hope,” as I like to call them–a sign that warmth and new life are coming! I know that winter is necessary and that it also possesses its own beauty, but my soul just seems to come back to life when spring arrives. It’s like an annual renewal of my life, which is particularly fitting since my birthday is also in spring.

Our lives are often compared to seasons, and so are our marriages. When you think of your marriage right now, does it make you think of a particular season? Are you feeling like you need spring to come–maybe needing some freshness and renewal in your marriage relationship? Whether you are in a “wintery” season in your marriage right now or not, every couple can benefit from some good ol’ spring cleaning… or even spring training. (I love that there are so many great word pictures that sprout from the idea of springtime.) And at the risk of getting caught up in seasonal analogies, I’m just going to proceed with this and hope that you, too, will find ways to feel inspired and renewed in your marriage this spring season!

Fresh Start

Whether some things have been sitting stagnant for a while in your relationship or you just need to tidy things up a bit, don’t be afraid to do some spring cleaning! We all need catalysts every once in a while; let the changing of the seasons serve as one for you. Take inventory of your daily lives and determine what things are enhancing your marriage and what are not. If changes are possible, make them.

New Life

When couples have been married for a while and have grown quite comfortable with each other, it can be easy to slip into routines that can start to feel drab and effortless (not the good kind). So why not look for ways to spruce things up? Replace those dull and gray areas with more color and life! Start with something simple like going somewhere new or trying a new activity together. Take on a new project together–something you are both interested in. (Oh yeah–working together to finish that project that’s been lingering over you for a while can also be life-giving!) Whether it’s trying a new recipe, driving to a new destination, attempting a new activity, or something altogether different, look for some ways to add new life to your marriage this season.

Warmth

Your marriage might not feel cold, but there are probably ways that you can add more warmth to your relationship. Could your words be kinder or more tender toward each other? Would showing more gratitude for one another be helpful and valuable? When you have disagreements, could you use some more gentleness in how you interact with each other? Maybe there has been a lack of daily affection between you? Make an effort to be intentional with hugs (Let them linger longer than usual.), holding hands, or just small touches as you walk past each other. All of these can be beautiful ways to add warmth to your relationship. And when there is warmth, there tends to be more discussions than disagreements and more flexibility than rigidity. Warmth is always a good thing.

Growth

One of the most significant signs of spring is that there is growth. Growth means that something is alive and active and progressing toward its intended state. Marriage relationships should be the same–living, active, and progressing. Growing. And there are things we can do to promote this growth. Start with just having a simple conversation about some areas that you both would like to grow in as a couple. Set some goals together. Then, be proactive in cultivating the environment to maximize the potential for this growth. All growth takes effort. Don’t be afraid to put in the work.

Easter’s Coming!

Of course, as Believers, the celebration of Easter is one of the best parts of spring! It is a reminder to us that God has conquered death and given us everlasting life. He promises that He will make all things new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” This is good news! We are constantly in the process of being renewed. That hope–that truth–can be such a valuable help in our marriage relationships. We are reminded that although the work is not yet completed (i.e., We still have imperfections and bad habits and problems for now.), we can have hope that renewal is happening and that there is grace and love sufficient for each of us in the meantime. God is gracious to us, and we can be gracious to each other.

I am thankful for the variety of seasons we get to experience in this life, but I will always be partial to spring. I pray that you, too, are blessed with a season of warmth, growth, and new life!