Some people believe that a couple that prays together stays together. Still, it may seem like praying and reading the Bible together are a struggle. There are lots of reasons for why that is, with the most common being vulnerability and lack of knowing how to study the Bible. To help cultivate your relationship with your spouse and grow in faith as a couple, you and your spouse should consider doing Bible study together. Bible studies for married couples have a lot of benefits, including growing your faith in God. It could also bring you and your spouse closer together in ways that you may not expect.
Benefits of Couples Bible Study
A couple comprises two people who decide to walk, live, and have fellowship together. Humans are spirit beings who live in the body. The body needs physical food for sustenance, but the spirit needs spiritual food for it to stay healthy. Spiritual food is the inspired word of God found in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. As a couple, while you feed and take care of the physical body, you shouldn’t forget to take care of your spirits too.
Feeding our spirit is feeding our relationship. Good spiritual health will result in good health in your relationship with your spouse. Couples should study the Bible together to inspire, encourage, and motivate taking care of the spiritual beings together. Here are a few benefits of couples’ Bible study.
It Helps the Couple Bond With God
A solid marriage is between three people: the couple and God. The bond between you, your spouse, and God will increase if you constantly read the Word of God with your spouse. The more you read about God, the more you bond with Him. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
It Helps Couples Obey God’s Word Together
Obeying God’s Word is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. However, you cannot follow what you’re ignorant of, which means that you can’t submit to what you don’t know. Bible study for couples is one way to accomplish getting to know God’s Word better. You would both know what you’re required to do and willingly obey what’s asked of you, together as a couple.
It Helps Couples Grow Stronger in God
No one is greater than their experience. The more you study the word of God as a couple, the stronger you’ll become in your spiritual life as Christians. To have a better experience with God is to study God’s word. When you and your spouse study the Bible as a couple, your relationship with each other will only get better and flourish.
It Helps Couples Trust in God
When a couple reads the Word of God together, they would see that all God says always comes to pass, that His Word never fails. He is the God of miracles, who created and endured all things by His word. Reading the Word of God only brings more trust in God. Studying the Bible makes couples trust God better.
It Helps Couples Appreciate the Works of God
Only in the Bible would you see the stories of creating and how God has raised people from different backgrounds and sustained nations. In the Bible, you read about the future that God has prepared for His people. Still, these things are discerned and revealed by the spirit of God. He does this revelation to the couples who fellowship with the Word of God together. They would appreciate the things that God has done and would do for them.
Bible Study Ideas for Couples and How to Study the Bible Together
Create An Environment of Trust
Trust plays a significant role in marriage, especially when it comes to communication. Three ways to cultivate a healthy level of trust is by being open, honest, and willing to listen. As a couple, you can accomplish tactics by asking if there’s something that you can specifically study or by slowly opening up about things you usually wouldn’t talk about with your spouse. While it may not happen automatically, you’ll see yourself open up to more vulnerable conversations and how your marriage will benefit from it.
Let Go of Expectations
Holding expectations over your spouse or situations is the best way to have something meant to go good go bad. It will help if you let go of any expectations and embrace how the journey of exploring God’s Word unfolds. You shouldn’t expect it to be smooth at first. Instead, you should go into your couples’ Bible study with a positive attitude. Then, celebrate how you’re both growing in faith and strengthening your marriage.
Decide on a Format and Frequency
Having a plan for your couple’s Bible study can lead you and your spouse to be consistent with your time of study together. It would be best to consider starting once a week or several times a week. As time goes on and your couples’ Bible study becomes more consistent, you might want to increase the frequency. Then, choose a time that works well with what you already have going on in your life. Choosing a time for Bible study will make for a smoother transition and more chances to follow through. However, give yourselves grace as it takes time for a new habit to become routine and feel natural. Whatever you do, don’t quit if you have to miss a day or reschedule. Start again where you left off, even if you’re feeling out of place.
Choose a Common Study
As you decide what to study, consider a topic that you both want to explore in-depth. For some, choosing from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, John, or Luke is a good starting point. You may also consider using a Bible reading plan. Using a Bible plan takes the guessing out of what you’ll study and offers a simple guideline to follow. Regardless of what you choose, learning something that interests you both can make for great discussions, which will foster trust and communication with one another.
Choose How You’ll Study
Decide with your spouse on your study method. You may want to study together, do it separately, and come back together for discussions. If you choose the second option, decide on a time to discuss your scripture reading and what you learned. Be sure to put your next session on the calendar to spark accountability and set a realistic goal to achieve. While you’re choosing how you’ll study, explore different Bible study methods. You could use a Bible study template to help you process what you read and understand God’s Word in a fresh way. It’s a great way to spark deep conversations about the scripture and lead you to a greater understanding of God’s promises.
Bible studies for married couples to do together are a great way for spouses to foster a healthy relationship while getting closer to God. A team that prays together stays together. Carving out time for Bible study may be difficult, but it’s doable if you and your spouse put in the work. God should be the priority in your marriage. By taking time for Bible study as a couple, you’re showing God that He is an integral part of your marriage.
