7 Ways to Have a Love That Lasts

Shutterstock.com

Nobody wants their relationship to fail, but there are many factors that can cause a downward spin. Every relationship has its challenges, even when the relationship is good. If you’ve been feeling like something hasn’t been quite right lately, it could be because there are things to do in the relationship that you’ve been letting slide or simply not doing at all. While many of us know the traits of a successful relationship, we often find ourselves still falling short in many of these areas. It’s not that we lack the time or the know-how, but we often lack the focus to be intentional in our relationships. While this might sound discouraging, the great thing is that there are things we can do to make our relationship better and stronger before it’s too late. The most important thing is that you recognize when there’s a problem and understand what you might be doing to contribute to it. Are you ready to do the necessary things to ensure your relationship can withstand the rain? Here are seven ways to have a love that lasts.

Keep Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend’s Private Life, Private

Shutterstock.com

It is one thing to confide in family and friends about issues that are showing up in your relationship, but it’s another thing when you’re spreading private details about your partner and personal matters with others. You should treat your partner’s private life with respect, especially when it comes to friends and mutual acquaintances. When you don’t keep their business private, you’re betraying your partner. Ask yourself would you be OK with his friends being told the same things you’re sharing? What happens in any relationship is between the two people involved, no one else. You don’t need anyone else’s opinion, just your own. Respect your partner and keep private details to yourself.

Show Your Partner That You Appreciate Them

Shutterstock.com

You may think the person you’re with knows how much you appreciate them, but not telling or showing your partner how much you value them can make them feel like you don’t care, or that you take them for granted. This is especially common after the honeymoon phase of a relationship. You don’t have to do something grandiose to show your partner that you appreciate them. It can be something as simple as sending a cute text message, offering them hug when they walk in from work, or giving them a small “just because” gift. You’ll be surprised how much showing your partner a little extra love and appreciation can impact your relationship.

Resist Temptation

Shutterstock.com

Don’t allow temptation to get the best of you. The enemy finds many ways to try and destroy relationships. He would love nothing more than to destroy all relationships, including the institution of marriage because marriages are the foundation of any nation and when the foundations crumble, so too will the nation. He seeks to perpetuate selfish and independent attitudes in us and corrupt our thinking, to get us to exalt ourselves in selfish and independent actions and attitudes. The undisciplined mind is vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks designed to defeat us by causing wrongful thinking. To have a healthy relationship, we must be alert, deal with our enemy, refute his lies and think straight.

Let go of Bitterness

Shutterstock.com

A hardened heart can cause a lot of pain. Bitterness should be removed from your heart for a number of reasons. First, bitterness harbors unforgiveness. You may feel justified in your anger. You may think that your spouse doesn’t deserve your forgiveness until he or she straightens out. But when you do this, you are forgetting the mercy that Jesus had for you. Romans 5:8 tells us that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. By God’s grace, He didn’t wait for us to get our acts together before He provided a way for forgiveness. He gave it to us freely even when we didn’t deserve it. Next, bitterness doesn’t give your spouse a chance to repent. If you’ve been holding in your hurt, your spouse may not even know they’ve offended you. Finally, bitterness spreads. One thread of bitterness can start to spread throughout your heart and contaminate your whole body. None of these things are good for your relationship.