"Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." (Mark 10:9)
When I was a child, my mother was working 24/7. Due to being a medical transcriptionist, she was a contract worker, which meant she was paid on production. Rather than being paid a salary or an hourly rate, she was paid per line. As a contract worker now, I can see how much stress my mom was under to provide for our family. Due to the ever-present demands of work, she didn't have much time for family life.
As one could imagine, this impacted her marriage. Anyone who is married to someone who works all the time knows the strain it can place on your relationship. For one, it is heartbreaking to see your spouse so stressed from work and secondly, it is painful to not have much time with them. In our present day, it is very common for more workers to have flexible schedules. Therefore, couples need to take advantage of this opportunity.
If your spouse is a contract worker and has to work according to the work sent to them, try to schedule date nights and time together around this timeframe. For instance, if it is common for your spouse not to have work on Mondays, try to plan a special date night on Monday. While turning Monday into a date night might be strange, it can become a special tradition for you and your spouse. Even if your spouse is a person who works 12-hour shifts, try to schedule time together on the days they are off from work.
You and your spouse's marriage does not have to suffer because of your work schedules. In order for marriages to be strong, both the husband and the wife have to be intentional. Whether you are the spouse always at work or the spouse always waiting for their spouse to return from work, try to be intentional in your marriage. If you know your husband won't be home until 10 p.m., try to stay up a little later so you can both catch up about the day before going to bed.
In the same way, if your wife has to leave early to get to work by 6 a.m., try to plan something special for when she gets back. You know your spouse better than anyone. Think of a few ideas to help them feel loved, cherished, and cared for. Just because they are always at work doesn't mean your marriage won't be strong. Utilize the time you have together, communicate with each other, and deepen your marriage by being there for each other.
Our Bible verse today comes from the Gospel of Mark: "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" (10:9). These are Jesus' words; we need to keep what He has told us at the forefront of our minds. God has brought you and your spouse together. What He has joined together, nobody should separate. This includes your or your spouse's hectic work schedule.
Choose to apply the Lord's words to your life today. This can be done by building a strong marriage upon the foundation of Jesus. Be honest, open, and loving of one another. Don't allow anything to infringe on your marriage. If work starts to negatively impact your marriage to the point that it is on the rocks, it might be time to consider changing shifts or professions. Our work is important to us but not more important than our spouse.
When we entered the marriage covenant with our spouse, we promised to always love them and be faithful to them. With this knowledge in our hearts, we need to always choose our spouse over work. Our job is our profession, but our spouse is the love of our life. Turn to God today and seek out His support. If you are unsure about anything, He will be able to direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Prayer:
"Dear God, my spouse is always at work, and I fear it is causing our marriage to suffer. Although my spouse is always at work, please help us build a strong marriage upon You. I want our marriage to bring You glory. Ensure nothing separates us. In Your Son's Name, I pray, Amen."
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
Originally published Wednesday, 25 June 2025.
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