Spring Season in Marriage: New Beginnings

Thank you for hanging in there, as we went through the harsh winter season of marriage. Now the freeze is thawed, and all the hard work of that season is behind us. Spring is finally here.

What does spring mean to you?

Spring reminds me of new beginnings, freshness, vibrant colors, and green grass. It is my favorite season. I enjoy a picnic at the park on a nice spring day or going for long walks without having to bundle up.

According to the Psalmist, spring is a time when the grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy (Psalm 65:12).

In marriage, spring is an opportunity for new beginnings. It is a time for you and your spouse to leave the winter in the past and come away to a new season of love with flowers springing up, birds singing and turtledoves cooing. It is a season to rise and embrace new attitudes that promote wholeness and wellness in your marriage.

Spring is also a period to embrace change and create a positive emotional climate that makes your marriage fresh and exciting. No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

What can you expect in a Spring season of marriage?

• Change
Change from the frigid cold of winter and hostility turns into the warm weather of love, kindness, tenderness, gratitude, trust, and grace in Spring.

My lover said to me,
Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!
Look, the winter is past,
and the rains are over and gone.
The flowers are springing up,
the season of singing birds has come,
and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.

Song of Songs 2:10-12 NLT

As you embrace positive change, you can expect your marriage to grow in optimism with you and your spouse learning to communicate better, nurturing your love, and being open to each other’s ideas and feelings. The Spring season in marriage is a period of excitement about being together and exploring your future together with God.

• Common goals
It is a season of coming together to till the ground and watch new roots sprout as you work in the garden of love towards a common goal.

• Acceptance
It is a time that you and your spouse accept each other and enjoy your uniqueness without controlling the other person. You both are growing and learning to be more like Jesus in your interactions. The flowers of trust, humility, love, and gentleness are in full bloom.

• Affirmation
Spring provides excellent opportunities to affirm your spouse and express love for each other regularly. You can write notes or cards to your spouse, give encouraging words or show positive action. For example, laughter is good for the soul, so laugh together often.

Be aware of things that can make your spring season less enjoyable

Despite the great aspects of the spring season, there are a few things to be mindful of:

• Poison ivy is common in the spring. The minor irritations are like poison ivy and can cause itching and allergic reactions to make your spring less enjoyable. Share your irritations with your spouse in a loving way.
• You don’t have to agree on everything. It is alright to disagree, however, seek to understand each other’s point of view.

Just as God promised to love and restore the Israelites (Jeremiah 31:1-14), you can trust him to refresh and transform your marriage. It takes two to bond, however, a marriage held together by a third strand in Christ is stronger and more fulfilling.

Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for the spring season of our marriage. We are grateful for the opportunity to start afresh and to nurture our love in your garden. Thank you for renewing, restoring and transforming our marriage. Thank you for the blossoms of love, trust, kindness, gratitude, and grace in our marriage, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Scriptures: Song of Songs 2:10-12, Jeremiah 31: 1-14, Psalm 65:12