I have a great wife and a wonderful marriage. This is not an accident, Lisa and I have worked on our marriage and our relationship continuously, striving every day to make it better. Reading through the Biblical book of Proverbs recently I was reminded of some of the things we have done that have resulted in success-
1- We have resisted the temptation to look anywhere else for encouragement, respect or love. Every marriage has ups and downs. In tough times it is easy to let your thoughts or eyes wander and think, “If only He/she was was more like them!.” Don't do it. God gave you your spouse, and he or she needs to remain your only source for this kind of love.
2- We keep our secrets secret. There are things, in addition to sexual intimacy, that we have shared only with each other, including our deepest thoughts, worst fears and greatest hopes. Some things should never be shared outside of marriage.
3- We are sexually faithful in our thoughts and actions. When you set your spouse up as not only valuable, but as your sexual ideal, embracing the truth that he or she is the absolute best for you and that no one else can compare, your bond is strengthened. We practice purity, avoiding movies and media that contain inappropriate content, and reject the lie that it is okay to look but not touch.
4- We understand that the love we share is an amazing gift and treat it as such. We thank God for it, nurture it and value it. We spend time together regularly. We address outside threats and distractions and deal with them. We have made up our minds that NOTHING in this life is more important than our relationship.
Consider the advice of King Solomon-
"Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer — may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love."
Proverbs 5:15-19NIV