Holy Love: A Relationship Your Faith Would Be Proud Of

Whether you and your partner have the same faith system or not, keeping your beliefs at the center of your relationship has many benefits. Not only will the two of you be more likely to work together through times of challenge, but you will also be able to grow your spiritual relationship. Here are just a few ways to keep holy love a part of your life.

Communicate often

Most religions hold the basic belief of loving one another, which is likely the most straightforward interpretation of holy love. One of the easiest ways to show love for your significant other is keeping open communication with them. This means not only speaking your mind and talking with one another often, but actively listening to each other’s thoughts, ideas, worries, and fears.

Having strong communication skills in your relationship can drastically reduce the chances of frequent arguments, hurt feelings, and unmet needs. Most religions encourage the idea of speaking and listening to God, a divine being, or even oneself to best connect with their spirituality. Speaking and listening to your loved one with a sincere heart, in the same way, will yield no less effective results.

Be there for one another

Your faith most likely has some ideas about loving others, caring for the sick, or helping those less fortunate. While most of these issues are large-scale and are typically done for those outside of your relationship, one way to echo these teachings in your daily life is simply being there for the person you love.

This means supporting them physically, emotionally, and mentally (within healthy boundaries) and encouraging them to be the best version of themselves they can be. This also means loving them and appreciating them without judgment, helping them achieve their goals and dreams, and supporting them through times of challenge. Encouraging one another in your spiritual journeys is also key here.

Put faith first

No matter how much the two of you love each other, putting faith first helps you create a strong foundation for your relationship. Faith is what helps you wake up every morning, confident you can conquer whatever comes your way. It gives you the strength to overcome doubt and negativity too. Without it, the problems of the world can seem bigger and more overwhelming than they are.

Keeping your faith front and center of your head and heart helps you approach issues in your relationship (and in your daily life)with a steady, balanced mind. You may even notice small issues that rock other relationships, are easier to deal with on your own. Giving the world’s troubles over to a higher power has a way of taking away the urgency of fixing all life’s problems right away. This stress-free approach to living will allow time for you to focus more on what’s important together.

Follow the teachings on sex

Depending on the status of your relationship, your faith might call for celibacy or encourage an active sexual relationship. Regardless of the particular doctrine your faith teaches, it is important to abide by it clearly.

Teachings on physical relationships serve a major purpose. They can you from making decisions that might end in hurt or instability or enhance your relationship in ways that modern society tends to overlook. When sex is not a factor in a relationship, it allows two people to explore one another mentally and emotionally first. It creates a unique connection based on more than physical attraction.

When faith supports a healthy sexual relationship (traditionally through marriage), even more, happens. Not only will you have a special bond between the two of you that is not with anyone else, but you also have the potential to bring new life into the world and grow your love into something even bigger. Sure, these things can happen before marriage or outside of faith, but when your beliefs are the reason for the type of physical relationship you have, you know you are truly honoring yourself and one another.

Go to services together

If you and your partner belong to the same faith, attending services together is vital for the health of your relationship. It will help both of you live according to what you believe is true and keep the teachings of your faith current in your minds.

When you follow similar ideas, it can make conflict resolution easier; forgiveness comes faster and offers a common perspective in confusion or struggle. Most importantly, keeping current with your faith will allow your beliefs to guide both of you when making big decisions.

If you belong to different faiths, do not worry. Continue attending services for the faith you follow, and invite your significant other to join you from time to time. (Do not forget to make it a point to join them too.) Not only will this give you both a new way to explore one another, but it might also help you join your beliefs together in a unique way that boosts your relationship.

Pray or meditate together

Some religions encourage prayer, others meditation. Both exercises are often described as ways of connecting to a higher power and having a personal relationship with spirituality. When you pray or meditate together, you invite the divine into a group conversation and open relationship with you and your loved one. This matters because the guidance you receive during these times of spiritual communication can help shape your decisions and make you proud of your choices.

Live your faith outside the relationship

Faith is not something to be kept hidden; it is meant to be and celebrated. Be open about your faith not only to your partner but as a couple too. You do not necessarily have to go knocking on someone’s door and preach your ideas to them. Sometimes, simply living your faith through your actions together is enough to speak to someone else.

If your faith encourages charity, help others together. If it requires keeping special traditions, do so with one another. Show the world you are a united front when it comes to living your truths. This will continually reinforce how strong your relationship is and encourage teamwork between the two of you.

Mind your finances

Most religions have certain recommendations when it comes to finances. Some, like Buddhism, encourage limiting material possessions and not spending money in excess. Like many branches of Christianity, others urge their members to spend their money on tithes or donations.

Agreeing on spending your money with your significant other is a challenge, even for relationships not based on faith. However, for a couple that wants to live their faith together, keeping in line with the financial teachings of their religion takes some of the pressure of this hot topic. With fewer arguments about spending money, clear-cut financial goals, and a rational way to budget according to your beliefs, there will be less time talking about your funds and more time focusing on each other.

Forgive

Forgiveness is a major belief in many of the world’s biggest religions. That is because it is one of the most important things we can offer ourselves and one another. Not every moment in your relationship is going to be great. At some point, you will hurt each other’s feelings, whether intentionally or not.

In these situations, forgiving one another is one of the easiest ways to live your faith, as long as it is done the right way. Forgiving someone outside, without truly forgiving them in your heart, will only lead to resentment in the future. Likewise, forgiving someone but constantly bringing up the hurtful situation is a sign you are not ready to move past the issue.

True forgiveness does not mean forgetting about something painful. But, it does mean you have a willingness to move past the difficult situation together. It will mean limiting the chances of the problem happening again and potentially rebuilding the relationship or correcting the damage that happened. A faithful approach to forgiveness is good for the health of your relationship and your spirit.

Practice gratitude

No matter what your religious beliefs are, almost everyone can agree on the idea that life, and all the wonderful things that come along with it, is a gift. Take a few moments every day to think about or say a few words of thanks for everything you have because of your relationship. Not only will this make you more likely to notice the positive about your significant other more often, but it will also help you appreciate everything you do together.

Try to go beyond the physical. Don’t just be thankful you have a home together or steady jobs; think about all the little things too. For example, the moments you laugh together or how great it is to have someone who supports you. A good relationship is much more than physical attraction or affection. It requires taking the time to notice the unseen things that help you fall more in love with your partner every day.

These are just a few ideas to stick to when building a relationship your faith would be proud of. As long as you live by your beliefs and bring the teachings into your everyday life, you are on the right track. Remember, two people do not have to be of the same belief system to make this work. However, your differences should not be so drastic you have trouble seeing eye to eye on basic moral ideas and goals in your relationship. The more you both make your faith a part of your lives together, the easier it will be to have holy love.