How to Have More Spiritual Intimacy in Your Marriage

How can you develop spiritual intimacy when you and your spouse are in different spots on your faith walk? Today’s special guests are Rob and Joanna Teigen, authors and marriage and family mentors who are passionate about helping marriages and families flourish. Rob and Joanna met in bible college, where they began their courtship. They were both Christians, but Joanna was relatively new to her faith when they met.

We talk about what to do when a couple is “unequally yoked” or mismatched spiritually. Also, what should a good devotional life as a couple look like?

Here are more takeaways from our conversation:

Dealing with Spiritual Mismatch: Spiritual mismatch in marriages can affect spiritual intimacy, where one spouse may be more seasoned in their faith. Rob and Joanna emphasize the importance of grace, humility, and patience in dealing with such differences.

Navigating the Waiting Season: What happens when one spouse may not be a believer or is not as spiritually mature? Rob and Joanna suggest living out one’s faith, being patient, and finding common ground. They emphasize the importance of allowing time for spiritual growth and understanding the journey’s long nature.

Creating Spiritual Practices: What spiritual practices can couples engage in to deepen their spiritual intimacy? The Tiegens encourage married couples to be intentional with time, use a calendar, and cultivate common practices. A devotional is a great way to have an easy road map to start praying together. They highlight the significance of grace, understanding, and not overcomplicating spiritual practices.

Building Spiritual Intimacy: Couples don’t need to be overly structured and can make spiritual growth fun and personal. Rob and Joanna share their approach to reading the Bible as a couple, allowing flexibility while coming together for discussions. They encourage a relational, natural approach to faith conversations and respect individual processing styles.

Fun and Laughter in Spiritual Intimacy: Having fun and light-hearted debates on faith or scripture with your spouse are fun ways to continue reflecting on God. Rob and Joanna emphasize the value of making faith discussions fun, personal, and relational.

Their Favorite Relationship Tip: Rob and Joanna agree that being “unoffendable” is a valuable approach in marriage. They practice being slow to anger, emphasizing grace, patience, and humility.

• James 4:1-3 NIV What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

ALSO READ: Is Being Unequally Yoked a Big Deal?

Remember, a good relationship isn’t one that works. It’s one where you put in the work! 

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Website – Rob & Joanna Book Store 

Growing Home Together Podcast 

Take My Free “How Connected a Partner Are You” Quiz

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