Article | - 11:02 am
Nowadays, It Is Commonly Said, “Marriage Is a Prison,” “Marriage Is So Outdated,” and “Married People Aren’t Happy”
“Marriage is a prison,” “Marriage is so outdated,” and “Married people aren’t happy.” Phrases like these have become increasingly common in today’s society, and, unfortunately, statistics seem to reinforce this negative view of marriage. A 2023 Pew Research Survey found that 40% of Americans feel pessimistic about marriage and family in the context of the nation’s future.
In 2022, over 2 million marriages occurred in the USA, with a rate of 6.2 per 1,000 people. During that same year, nearly 674 thousand divorces and annulments happened across the 45 U.S. states that reported this statistic. Surprisingly, these divorce numbers are considered low compared to previous years.
If we view marriage as the union of two people, we could assume that the problem lies in how these two individuals conduct their relationship rather than in the institution of marriage itself. Renato Cardoso, author of Bulletproof Marriage, explains, “The problem is not a lack of love, but a lack of tools to solve the problems that come with living together. People get married with virtually no ability to solve problems that arise with living together.”
According to a recent survey of 1000 divorcees, among the main factors contributing to divorce were lack of family support, infidelity, lack of compatibility, lack of intimacy, much conflict or arguing, and financial stress. However, it’s crucial to uncover the root causes behind these issues. When two people get married, most of their problems stem from their conflicting experiences. Therefore, getting to know the other person deeply and understanding their background is essential to understanding why certain behaviors occur.
For a marriage to work, each spouse must do their part. Our lives are the result of the seeds we plant and the decisions we make. If you want change, you must consider what you have planted. For instance, if you planted a lie, you have reaped distrust. To change your relationship, you need to plant truth and transparency. This requires much effort and commitment from both parties, but there is no better investment. Plant these seeds, and we strongly believe you will reap the countless benefits of marriage.
Living a healthy relationship has been proven to benefit the spirit, soul, health, and other areas of life. A CDC report highlights that married individuals generally have better health than other adults, reporting lower instances of fair or poor health. They also reported experiencing less significant psychological distress.
This link between health and marital status may seem odd; however, studies suggest it could be related to the importance of the social bond of marriage, which offers emotional, financial, and behavioral support.
Another survey conducted with 2.5 million adults in the USA by Gallup concluded that married people consider themselves happier than those who are single. As you can see, a good marriage and happiness walk side by side.
Knowing these facts, isn’t it worth investing in your relationship? If you don’t know where to start, let us help you! The Love Therapy meetings are weekly sessions designed to help couples strengthen their relationship by learning how to communicate effectively and solve conflicts through the concept of intelligent love.
The Love Therapy takes place every Thursday at 7 PM at select locations of The Universal Church. Call 1-888-332-4141, text 1-888-312-4141, or visit The Universal Church for more information.
Contributors:
uckg.org (Adapted)
