Week 29: Teenage Marriages
Please join us this week in
praying for teenage marriages. For
mature couples getting started on the right foot in a marriage is difficult. Starting well when both spouses are
teenagers is even more difficult.
Issues can arise as a simple matter of lack of maturity or life
experience. These young couples many
times have not had the chance to face problems as independent adults and,
consequently, have not developed the skills to deal successfully with some of
the trials of married life. Even
in a perfect situation, just making the transition from dependent teenagers to
an independent married couple can be extremely challenging. Single teenage friends can have
expectations of the new couple that can no longer by fulfilled because the
marriage now takes priority. The
pressure to be a part of the old group in the same old way can tempt the new
couple to regret their marriage decision.
Another situation often
faced by teen couples is starting a marriage pregnant or with a child. They have gotten “the cart before the
horse” and as a result must learn to be a spouse at the same time they are
learning to be a parent.
Obviously, a “had to get married” situation may signal that one or both
spouses were not really wanting to get married at this point in their lives. That attitude does not bode well for
weathering the challenges of early marriage. Finally, the parents of a teen couple can create additional
issues by withdrawing support for a marriage they didn’t think should happen or
by smothering the couple with advice and not respecting their independence.
Please pray that couples who
have started their marriage as teenagers will
- Look to the Lord to protect them as they grow up while growing together
- Be blessed by the Lord with a maturity beyond their years
- Be supported by family and friends
- Resist the temptation to chase the past to the neglect of their marriage
- Be quick to forgive one another and quicker to seek forgiveness
- Seek wise counsel when they face new and confusing circumstances
- Understand that working through difficulties will lead to a healthy marriage while running from difficulties will only lead to deeper, destructive troubles
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