Discussion Guide: Week 4
Marriage: Recovering Your Relationship
Welcome Everyone
Celebrate WINS
Life happens in the context of relationships. As a matter of fact, we are wired to be in relationships and connected to one another. We learned last week that marriage was God’s idea. He wants married couples to choose unity, love, and to serve one another. This week, we’re looking at what steps you can take to protect and recover your marriage if difficulties come your way.
Whether you are married or single, have children or not, the principles in God’s Word are truth and life for each of us. Since we are His kids, we can see from His Word how He wants to relate to us and how we are to relate to others.
I Peter 4:8 tells us, Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV) What a great verse for us to remember for all of our relationships, but especially in marriage! Love covers.
Getting More Together:
1 ________________________
Guard your heart.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us, Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (NIV)
a. How important is it to guard your heart and what does that mean?
b. Where does temptation start?
c. What might lead you to get emotionally attached to someone other than your spouse and how do you keep that from happening?
2 ________________________
Watch your step.
Proverbs 4:26-27 says, Watch your step. Stick to the path and be safe. Don’t sidetrack; pull back your foot from danger. (TLB)
How important is it to be careful about where and when you are alone with someone of the opposite sex without your spouse?
a. Why do experts say that the two most dangerous places for temptation are the workplace and the internet
b. When we are tempted in either of those two places, or anywhere else, what steps should we take to get away from temptation?
c. What practices/disciplines can we adopt before we are married that can prepare us for avoiding temptation within marriage?
3 ________________________
Consider the cost.
Proverbs 6:27-29: Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned … without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. (NIV)
a. Why is adultery so costly?
b. Why doesn’t culture portray having affairs and being unfaithful as wrong? In general, why do we treat it as unfortunate or sad instead of sinful and deadly?
c. Who does adultery hurt?
4 ________________________
Keep the home fires burning.
Proverbs 5:15; 18 says, Drink water from your own cistern, fresh water from your own well…. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth. (NASB)
a. How important is it to maintain consistent date nights after you are married?
b. Why is it important to keep unity in each of these areas – spirit, soul, and body – in order to maintain a strong relationship free from temptation?
c. Can we help protect our spouses from temptation? If so, how?
________________________
Your spouse is a gift from God and to not appreciate the gift is to not appreciate the Giver. If we would spend all our marital effort in loving, admiring, appreciating, and serving our spouse, we would do much to eliminate the desire to ever be fulfilled elsewhere.
Message Insights:
Share any insights from the message that spoke to you and how it applies to your relationships.
Next Steps:
What are some steps you can take that will help strengthen your relationships?
Prayer:
Divide into smaller groups or prayer partners (male with male, female with female) and take time to share and pray over one key prayer request for the week.
