Growing Toward Spiritual Intimacy by Dr. Randy Carney

Growing Toward Spiritual Intimacy
By Dr. Randy Carney

Growing toward spiritual intimacy happens when a couple practices a disciplined commitment. As in any endeavor, achieving goals brings great satisfaction. When the couple has a goal of achieving spiritual intimacy, they will experience satisfaction as they see progress in that area of their marriage.

When considering spiritual intimacy, we first of all examine the meaning of true spirituality. Many in Christian circles speak of something being very spiritual when it touches the emotions. While it is true that when the Holy Spirit deals with an individual, there is often a certain amount of excitement or perhaps conviction; true spirituality refers to something that goes beyond an emotional experience.

True spirituality has its basis in understanding of the law as it relates to individual rules, but the spiritual aspect is revealed when we look at something less tangible than the rules as expressed in the law. For instance, The Ten Commandments express a set of things not to do and things to do, but the very last commandment internalizes the matter when it says not to covet. The other commandments can be related to this very internal expression.

True spirituality has a positive, as well as negative, aspect. The New Testament puts forth the principles that people should love God with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength. Another positive principle is for a person to love his neighbor as himself.

True spirituality finds itself in faith. This is a faith that goes beyond feeling, and it is a faith that leads to discipline and commitment. When a couple exercises disciplined commitment, each person will find himself or herself growing toward spiritual intimacy. Spiritual intimacy, therefore includes feeling, but it goes beyond feeling as it is produced by faith.

We all need to learn all we can about achieving spiritual intimacy.

Personal Commitment and Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual intimacy begins with personal commitment. A person, first of all, places his trust in the Lord in the matter of salvation. This is an act of the will and is a matter of personal decision. After that initial step, spiritual growth takes places. When each spouse in a marriage is committed to spiritual growth, they each experience greater measures of spiritual intimacy. As they share those experiences with each other, they begin to grow closer together. Their marriage commitment contributes to their growing spiritual intimacy, and their marital intimacy increases. Along with this, their spiritual intimacy grows also.

We all need to learn all we can about how to increase our personal commitment.

Personal Disciplines and Spiritual Maturity

Couples who desire to be growing toward spiritual maturity will develop habits that contribute to their spiritual growth. The privileges to read the Word of God and to Pray can be benefited by the couple who not only recognizes those privileges on a random basis, but by making those actions personal disciplines in their lives.

Discipline is related to commitment in that the discipline is carried out regardless of the feelings of the individual. As a husband or wife begins to exercise spiritual discipline, he or she begins to grow spiritually.

We all need to learn all we can about exercising spiritual disciplines within our lives

When Each Partner in a Marriage Draws Closer to God, They Draw Closer to Each Other

Growing toward spiritual intimacy takes place in a marriage when each partner exercises spiritual discipline, not out of obligation alone, but because of a desire to draw closer to God. You can picture a triangle with the husband at one point at the base of the triangle and the wife at the other point at the base. God, then is pictured at the point at the top of the triangle. You can see, from this illustration, that if both of them grow closer to God, they both grow closer to each other.

We all need to learn all we can about growing closer to God and to each other.

Relationship intimacy increases because of marriage commitment, and the couple achieves success as they grow toward spiritual maturity.

(Copyright 2008 by Randy Carney. Excerpted from a chapter in Dr. Carney's upcoming book: The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage: Six Keys to Marital Bliss).

Dr. Randy Carney has worked with married couples for many years. Did you find these steps to Spiritual Intimacy helpful. To see more articles like these, go to http://www.randysarticles.blogspot.com/ You can also find more information on this topic at The LOVING Way to a Successful Marriage

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