Do you know what it’s like to be young and in love? Your heart skips a beat when you’re together and life couldn’t be sweeter. Soon enough, you are convinced you’ve found “the one” and you don’t want to let them go. The decision to get married at a young age both excites and terrifies you. But regardless of what comes, you’re willing to take the leap. With the divorce rate upwards of 50 percent, people are throwing shade at your relationship. Now you’re not so sure if a young marriage is the right move for you and your partner. The truth is, no matter how old you are, when you decide to jump the broom, you need to avoid some common pitfalls to make your marriage last a lifetime.
Young Marriage: 3 Mistakes to Watch Out for When Marrying Young
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Getting married at a young age has as much of a chance of making it as getting married when you’re older. It’s true that there’s a benefit to maturity, but maturity isn’t defined by age, but rather your ability to make competent decisions. So, if a young marriage suits you and your spouse to be, here are three mistakes to watch out for.
Mistake #1 – Failing to establish a solid spiritual foundation
I won’t beat around the bush on this one. Whether you’re 18 or 38, your marriage has a better chance at survival if you establish a solid spiritual foundation as soon as possible. Not everyone meets their mate at church, so how that plays out will depend on a few things. Preferably, address these issues before walking down the aisle.
- Make a decision to pray together
- Find a spiritual body that you can learn from and grow with
- Strengthen your own personal faith
- Identify ways to serve others together
A solid spiritual foundation is a must for every marriage, much less a young marriage. Failing to establish one from the onset of your union will do more harm than you know.
Mistake #2 – Involving your friends in your relationship problems
A part of growing up is knowing when to cut the cord and handle things on your own. Whether it’s your family or your friends, you’ve got to keep them at bay when it comes to issues with your spouse.
Young marriage isn’t for everyone, but you and your partner decided you can handle it. Chances are that many of your friends are still single and living “free.” They won’t have the same perspective as you do as a married man or woman. The lens you view your relationship through changes the moment you get married. Once you involve biased others in your marital issues, whether it’s in person or via social media, you are asking for trouble.
Mistake #3 – Trying to solve all of your problems with sex
Passion is an undeniable upside to marrying young. In a young marriage, it is unbridled, sensuous, and never-ending. But it can’t be a substitute for communication. One of the dangers of a young marriage is immaturity. Rather than talk things out, spouses yell, slam doors, and engage in all sorts of childish behavior. Neither wants to yield, that is until they get horny and decide to play nice. Sure, sex is great, but it doesn’t make the problems go away. You must talk through your issues and identify ways to properly manage conflict in your relationship if you really want it to last.
By no means are these three problems the only ones young marriages face. But whether young or not, commit to getting these three on straight to give your young marriage a fighting chance.
BMWK, what advice can you give to someone in a young marriage?