Daily devotionals are a beautiful way to connect with your spouse on a spiritual level. But in our experience working with couples, they’re surprisingly hard to do as a married couple. For some couples, praying and studying together feel easy during the dating years. Once you cross the proverbial threshold of marriage, everyday obligations take over.
Suddenly, daily devotionals don’t feel quite as endearing as they used to. They have a different energy. With so many daily demands, it can be difficult to set the time aside like you once did.
Avoid Attaching Guilt to Devotional Time
Don’t add a heavy dose of guilt if you have trouble getting started. You’ll have to find a way that works well for both of you and helps you stay consistent. Guilting one another over devotional time will backfire, and ultimately sabotage the routine you’re building.
Focus on keeping devotional time healthy and positive. Talk about what can work for each of you, and how you can meet one another in this space. Don’t focus on the difficulties of aligning schedules.
Even if devotional time feels difficult, don’t neglect it. Daily devotionals might not easily fall into place, but it’s worth planning and investing the time to be together. Using a tool such as the One Year Love Talk Devotional can help you stay on track. With consistent effort, you’ll find a rhythm that works for both of you and feels easier as time goes on.
Don’t Use Devotional Time for Conflict Resolution
Be careful to separate your devotional time from conflict resolution. You don’t want this time together to be overshadowed by problems you’re trying to solve. Instead, protect it fiercely.
Sometimes, spouses use prayer and devotional time to communicate messages with one another that they feel they can’t directly say. This can cause devotional time to feel more stressful, rather than bringing you together. One or both of you might begin to avoid it.
Instead, set healthy boundaries and ground rules for devotional time. Make a plan to redirect the interaction back to spiritual reflection. Decide in advance how you’ll protect this time so that when a challenge arises, you’ll be ready.
Devotional Time Can Be Unique to You
There are many ways to approach devotional time. These important, shared moments can be unique to you, your spouse, and your style as a couple. Here are some examples of what that time could look like for you:
- Take a walk together and pray silently
- Share devotional time over breakfast
- Pray together before bed
- Journal together in shared space
- Take turns reading out loud, then discuss
Genuine, authentic, life-changing devotional time can look however you want it to. It can work in the way you need it to work, and it can happen at whatever time of day is best for you and your spouse. There’s not one right way to do it; the most important things are the shared connection and spiritual growth that come from this daily practice.
Do you share daily devotional time with your spouse? How do you stay consistent? Let us know in the comments.
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