When You Love Your Spouse but You Don't Like Each Other Anymore

A lot of couples end up here, and most of them are too ashamed to say it out loud. In this episode, discover why the distance in your marriage didn't happen overnight, and what it takes to start closing it.Jerry Dugan was 11 years old when his parents divorced. He spent the rest of his childhood watching his dad fall apart, and he decided right then that his own marriage would look different. Years later, he married Olivia. They both came from divorced homes, and they both meant every word of their vows.A few years in, something started to shift. No blowup, no affair, no dramatic moment anyone could point to. They were just gradually becoming 2 separate people who shared a house, passing each other in the kitchen and dividing up the responsibilities. Making it work. Just not really connecting anymore.Jerry said later that if they had stayed on that road, by year 14 or 15 they probably would have ended up exactly like their parents. Nobody had done anything wrong. The drift just kept going.I've sat across from couples in my office who looked just like that. They'd come in and press themselves into opposite armrests as far from each other as the couch would allow. You could see the distance before a single word was spoken. Most of them were too ashamed to name what they were really feeling.So here it is: you love your spouse, but you don't really like each other anymore. The warmth is gone. The conversation has dried up. The person you share a life with feels like someone you used to know. That's a painful place to be, and it's more common than anyone talks about at church.Malachi 2:15-16 says this twice: guard your heart. The repetition isn't accidental. The heart wanders when it isn't being tended, and guarding it is something you have to do every day, on purpose. Most couples don't end up distant because of one catastrophic decision. A thousand small moments of choosing not to engage did it instead.The distance didn't happen overnight. It won't close overnight either. But it can close. Through Jerry's story and the pointed call of Malachi 2, this episode makes the case that a God-centered marriage doesn't drift into health. You have to choose it, even when you don't feel like it.BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER:Why the drift in a marriage is rarely caused by one big moment, and what creates the distance over timeWhat Malachi 2:15-16's repeated command to guard your heart means for couples who've stopped choosing each otherOne small, concrete step you can take today to begin closing the gapGod hasn't given up on your marriage. And someone has to go first.Share This Episode:https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/227Need Prayer? Leave me a voicemail:https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/voicemailWant to keep these devotions coming? Please consider supporting this podcast.https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/support/Rate and Reviewhttps://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/reviews/new/Connect with BartFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dailydevotionsforbusylivesWebsite: https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.comFeeling spiritually drained? Start here. Download your free copy of my eBook Making Time for Jesus here.Mentioned in this episode:Join Our Private Facebook CommunityIf you're looking for a place to connect with other Daily Devotions listeners and pray for each other, I'd love for you to join our private Facebook community group. Come find us at https://www.dailydevotionsforbusylives.com/group