I recently wrote an article about rubber wedding rings after seeing an NFL player wearing one on HBO’s show Hard Knocks. Apparently, the company which sells the wedding rings somehow discovered my article, contacted me, and offered to send me some rings. A couple of weeks later a package arrived. When I opened the package I was surprised to see they hadn’t sent a couple. Rather they’d sent 12 wedding rings! It made me think about the types of marriage rings we have in our relationships.
The 7 Types of Marriage Rings in Every Successful Relationship
In this article:
Have you worn multiple rings?
Of all the rings they sent, I can only wear a few of them as some are too large and some are too small. Of course, no matter how many fit me, only one wedding ring needs to be worn at a time. But it has me thinking about the different rings we wear in our marriages.
Just like I have several rubber wedding rings, my marriage has gone through a few wedding rings itself. And, it’s not because I’ve been divorced, or have another wife and family out on the west coast (some people do that you know). I’m not talking about physical wedding rings, but different rings, or stages, of marriage. Some stages have been good, some have been not-so-good, and others have been downright rough!
Become familiar with the 7 rings of marriage
You may have noticed something similar in your marriage. Maybe you are concerned because you don’t know what phase is coming next. But if you knew what to expect you could prepare for it, and handle it better. I was caught off guard by some of the rings of marriage. My hope is you don’t get caught off guard like me. Becoming familiar with the 7 rings of marriage will help you.
Engagement Ring
This is the beginning. You have found that special someone and you are wide open! You see happily ever after in your future, and don’t see anything else. Clearly, your vision is nothing but love. The engagement ring of marriage is full of love, hope, and possibility.
Wedding Ring
You finally did it! You said “I do” to the girl or guy of your dreams. The two have become one. You get to see each other every day and night without any guilt. What’s yours is his/hers, what’s his/hers is yours. This is the ‘walking around the house with nothing on… feeling good’ stage. Obviously, life and marriage is the B.O.M.B.
DiscoveRing
Uh oh! Now the smoke is cleared. You see him/her every day, but some of the stuff you wish you didn’t see. Can he pick his socks up off the floor at least one time? Was she always late to everything? Being honest with yourself, had you known what you know now, you might not have gotten to the wedding ring stage. This ring is an eye opener.
PerseveRing
You are now at the down and dirty part of marriage. The part that makes couples say, marriage takes “work!” The Bible says if you don’t work, you don’t eat. I think this applies to marriage first. Because if you don’t work in your marriage you will not eat the fruit of marriage. The marriages who don’t wear this ring, don’t make it.
RestoRing
If you said “I’m all in” through the first four rings, believed in the vision you had with the engagement ring, and didn’t let anything take down your marriage, then you can begin to put back some broken pieces. You’ve learned your spouse is not perfect and vice versa, but you love anyway. And you ain’t goin nowhere! As a matter of fact, you plan to do everything you can to not just stay together, but to enjoy staying together.
ProspeRing
This is the stage that you were so excited and blinded by, early on. Now it is a reality. You’ve enjoyed ups, downs, issues, haters, and everything else. But it didn’t kill your marriage, it strengthened your marriage. You have one of those Still Standing marriages like in BMWK’s film. Your marriage isn’t issue free, but those issues no longer impact you like they used to. You love being married to your spouse, and it shows.
MentoRing
You have made it through six rings of marriage. Half of marriages don’t make it at all, and even fewer get to wear the prospering in their marriage. When this stage comes you recognize this, and you begin to teach others what you’ve experienced in marriage. Your mentoring may be just with your kids, it may be through some couples you know, or, like Lamar and Ronnie, it may be a full-fledged online movement to help marriages. At this stage, you help everyone you can wear the prospering.
Editor’s Note: This article has been transformed into an amazing book that you can find out more about on Jackie Bledsoe’s website. If you enjoy the article make sure you pick up a copy of the book.
BMWK – What ring of marriage are you wearing right now? If it is a tough fit, how can you make it through to the next rings?
Up Next: 7 Parties to Have Before and After Your Wedding
Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on October 16, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.