Hope from an Ancient Path: How to Build a Marriage That Lasts
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’” — Jeremiah 6:16
We live in a culture that’s offered us countless opinions on love, relationships, and marriage—and it’s not working. But there is hope. Not in a trendy new relationship hack, but in something ancient. God offers us a better way.
The world has sold us a version of marriage based on feelings, convenience, and personal fulfillment. But the fruit of that approach has been confusion, isolation, and disconnection. What if we went back to the original design—the ancient path?
The Data Tells a Different Story
Surprisingly, even secular research is starting to affirm what Scripture has taught all along:
Couples who marry young, attend church regularly, and don’t live together before marriage have some of the lowest divorce rates.
Married men and women with kids report greater happiness than their unmarried peers.
Religious couples report more satisfying sex lives.
Married couples are, on average, four times as wealthy as unmarried couples living together.
These stats aren’t random—they point to timeless truths about love, commitment, and God’s original design for marriage.
A Better Way Begins with a Question
Jeremiah tells us to ask for the ancient path. That means we don’t stumble into a great marriage by accident—we humble ourselves and ask for direction. The first step in building a God-honoring, joy-filled marriage is admitting that we can’t do it on our own.
Are you willing to ask God to shape your marriage? Are you open to the idea that His way might lead to something better than what the world offers?
God Was Always Meant to Be Involved
From the very beginning, God designed marriage as a sacred, sacrificial relationship meant to reflect the love between Christ and the Church. It was never supposed to be just two people trying to tough it out—it was meant to be three.
That’s the idea behind the “cord of three strands” in Ecclesiastes 4: a husband, a wife, and God. When you place God at the center of your relationship, you tap into a strength greater than anything you can muster on your own.
A Triangle That Pulls You Closer
Picture a triangle: you and your spouse at the bottom corners, and God at the top. As each of you grows closer to God individually, you naturally grow closer to each other.
This means your relationship with God is the most important relationship in your life—even more important than your relationship with your spouse. That may sound counterintuitive, but when you’re spiritually healthy, emotionally centered, and connected to your Creator, every other relationship in your life gets stronger too.
Personal Growth Builds a Stronger Marriage
If you want a stronger connection with your spouse, spend time alone with God. Make space in your schedule for prayer, Scripture, solitude, and worship. Get plugged into a men’s or women’s group. Find a mentor. Allow God to shape your character so you can bring your best to your marriage.
As Galatians 5 says, a life lived by the Spirit is marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And if you want a marriage that’s filled with those things, it starts by walking with the Spirit.
A Stronger Marriage Starts With God
The truth is simple: if you want a better marriage, don’t start with your spouse. Start with your relationship with Jesus.
You can’t build a cord of three strands if you leave God out of it. But with Him in the center, you’ll have the strength to face anything together. Whether it’s a job loss, a tough diagnosis, infertility, or the everyday stress of life—you won’t be easily broken.
Let’s return to the ancient path. Let’s build marriages that are not just lasting—but thriving.
Reflection Questions:
How can you prioritize your relationship with God above all others?
Have you noticed a connection between distance from God and disconnection in your marriage?
What would it look like this week to build in quality time with Jesus?
