Today’s Scripture
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” Ecclesiastes 4:9, ESV
Today’s Devotion
Elvis Presley never seemed to get the words right. He’s supposed to talk over a bridge in the song, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” It’s just a few words, but Elvis always flubbed the lines in his live performances. Journalist and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell studied the King’s performances and concluded the reason Elvis couldn’t get the words right possibly because he was singing about his own loneliness after divorcing his wife, Priscilla.
Elvis wasn’t the first person to be lonely. He won’t be the last. Loneliness is a problem in our culture. So much so, that in 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, published an 82-page report on our loneliness epidemic. In it, he says, “When I first took office as Surgeon General in 2014, I didn’t view loneliness as a public health concern. But that was before I embarked on a cross-country listening tour, where I heard stories from my fellow Americans that surprised me. People of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, from every corner of the country, would tell me, “I have to shoulder all of life’s burdens by myself,” or “if I disappear tomorrow, no one will even notice.”
Have you ever felt that way? Do you feel that way about your marriage? God designed us as social beings. In Genesis 2:18, He says, “It is not good that the man should be alone (ESV).” So, what’s the solution?
Dr. Greg Smalley, vice president of Marriage at Focus on the Family, says one way to fight loneliness in marriage is to have a shared vision of life together. What can you and your spouse do together? Can you serve in church together? Can you mentor a struggling couple? Can you reach out in ministry together? We’re not saying you should add one more thing to your schedule, rather, look at what you’re doing and find ways to spend time together.
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father, we’re often so busy that we feel lonely in our marriage. Help us reprioritize our schedule so that we can serve you together as a couple and grow closer together in our marriage. Amen.
