I remember when Chad I were first married. After living apart for two long years after his graduation, we were finally living in the same town, in the same house, and we could hardly believe it. I can still recall how difficult it was for us to get up and go to work every day, still separated by the need to earn money to pay our bills. We would talk about how crummy it was that we had to go to our jobs and spend all day with people we didn’t really know, when all we really wanted to do was stay home and hang out with each other.
As time went on, we got used to being apart for the majority of our day. We learned to cope with all the real life stuff that crowded into our romance. It became normal for us to see each other for only a few hours a day, and that’s how life has been for 21 years now.
Your marriage is probably the same. You’re accustomed to being apart, to having little time to focus on each other or think much about your relationship. You have often found yourself wishing that life was simpler, that the pace was slower, that you had more opportunity to spend time together. What if this quarantine, this weird, short phase of life, is a gift from God for your marriage?
What if, after years of drifting apart, of letting lots of other things overshadow you two as a couple, this is a precious opportunity to really be together again? If you are one of the millions who are working from home right now, you could be right in the middle of the best thing that ever happened to your marriage.
Don’t waste the time. Turn and really look at your spouse. See each other and remember why you fell in love. Prioritize your husband or wife each day, and don’t let your time at home be eaten up by things that aren’t important. Not when the love of your life is right in front of you. Seize this opportunity to romance your spouse. Rekindle your friendship. Think about how amazing it is that this person chose to link arms with you so you could face the world together.
Maybe your marriage has been suffering. Maybe you are on the verge of giving up. Then thank the Lord for this unheard of chance to be together all day long, and pray that He will help you know how to use the time wisely.
It would be an utter shame to come to the end of this experience without a new closeness, a new understanding, a new appreciation for the one who loved you enough to devote an entire lifetime to you and your dreams. Remember why you started this whole thing. Don’t miss this chance to love hard during a time when we are all being reminded that life is short. What if this is the best thing that ever happened to your marriage?
