🌊 Why You Need More Than Just “Love” to Survive the Storm ✨
When the waves of life crash against your home—financial ruin, health crisis, or grief—romantic feelings are the first thing to wash away. Romance is a beautiful decoration, but it is a terrible anchor.
If your marriage is built only on how you feel about each other, you will drift the moment the sun goes behind a cloud.
To survive the long haul, you need something heavier. You need to understand that marriage is not just a relationship; it is a Vocation. God has placed a divine calling on your union.
What anchors a marriage?
It is the realization that you are on a mission together. Here are the 6 Divine Callings that God places on every Christian marriage. When you embrace these, you stop just “staying together” and start fulfilling your destiny.
1. The Calling to Companionship (The Anchor Against Loneliness) 🤝
The Scripture: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” — Genesis 2:18 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to be the cure for your spouse’s solitude. Eve was not created to be Adam’s employee or his boss; she was created to be his Ezer (Hebrew for “Help/Ally”).
- The Anchor: When the world turns its back on your spouse, you are the one person who remains. You are the “witness” to their life. You anchor them by simply being present.
2. The Calling to Sanctification (The Anchor Against Sin) 🧼
The Scripture: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it… that he might present it to himself a glorious church.” — Ephesians 5:26-27 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to make your spouse holy. Gary Thomas famously asked, “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” Your spouse is the mirror that reveals your selfishness, impatience, and pride.
- The Anchor: Instead of running from conflict, you view it as a refining fire. You anchor the marriage by realizing that the friction is polishing you into diamonds.
3. The Calling to Intimacy (The Anchor Against Temptation) 🔥
The Scripture: “Defraud ye not one the other… that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” — 1 Corinthians 7:5 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to be the exclusive source of physical comfort for your spouse. Sex in marriage isn’t just recreation; it is spiritual warfare. It is the glue that binds two souls and the wall that keeps the enemy out.
- The Anchor: By prioritizing the marriage bed, you anchor your spouse’s heart at home, making them less susceptible to the counterfeit comforts of the world.
For more on protecting this area, read How Can Christian Singles Tell Real Love from Dangerous Lust?.
4. The Calling to Stewardship (The Anchor Against Aimlessness) 🌍
The Scripture: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” — Genesis 1:28 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to manage God’s resources together. This is the “Mission.” Whether it is raising godly children, managing finances, or running a business, you are partners in dominion.
- The Anchor: Couples who have a shared mission rarely divorce. When you are looking outward at a shared goal, you stop picking each other apart.
5. The Calling to Reflection (The Anchor Against Selfishness) 🪞
The Scripture: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” — Ephesians 5:32 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to be a living billboard of the Gospel. Your marriage is a play, and the world is the audience. The husband plays the role of Christ (sacrificial love), and the wife plays the role of the Church (devoted response).
- The Anchor: You stay faithful not just for your sake, but for His name’s sake. You anchor the marriage in the fear of the Lord, knowing that destroying your union distorts the image of God.
6. The Calling to Legacy (The Anchor Against Short-Sightedness) 🌳
The Scripture: “That he might seek a godly seed.” — Malachi 2:15 (KJV)
The Calling: You are called to impact the next generation. This isn’t limited to biological children; it includes spiritual children and the legacy of faith you leave behind.
- The Anchor: When you realize that your stability today affects the mental and spiritual health of your grandchildren tomorrow, you find the strength to endure the hard seasons.
For more on leading your home, read Is Your Family Spiritually Drifting? How God Calls You to Be the Leader.
Part III: 3 Common Misconceptions About Marital Callings 💡
Misconception 1: “My calling is my career; my marriage is just my private life.”
- Correction: Your marriage is your primary ministry. If you win the world but lose your family, you have failed the biblical qualification for leadership (1 Timothy 3:5).
Misconception 2: “If we are called, it will be easy.”
- Correction: Calling always attracts conflict. The enemy attacks what God anoints. The presence of struggle doesn’t mean you missed your calling; it confirms the value of it.
Misconception 3: “We don’t have a shared calling.”
- Correction: Every Christian couple shares the Great Commission. You may have different jobs, but you have the same Boss. Find the intersection where your gifts serve His Kingdom together.
Conclusion: Drop the Anchor 🌟
Is your marriage drifting?
It might be because you have unhooked from your calling. You are trying to survive on romance when you were designed to thrive on purpose.
Look at your spouse today. They aren’t just your roommate; they are your partner in the most important mission on earth. Embrace the call.
Reflection: Which of these 6 callings is the strongest in your marriage right now, and which one needs to be reinforced?
