How to Make a Couples Devotional a Regular Part of Your Marriage
Last Updated on August 22, 2024 by Alicia Michelle
For years, my husband and I wanted to read a couples devotional but we had no idea how to make it happen on a regular basis.
Once we found some good couples devotionals (and read a few couples bible studies together) we knew that we couldn't make couples devotional time a “someday” item.
We needed to spend time together in the Bible as a couple right now–when we were in the thick of the exhilarating-but-exhausting parenting and career-building years. We needed to regularly invest in our marriage.
But we wondered how it was possible to have regular couples devotions with our crazy, always-changing family schedule. Sound familiar?
After nearly 21 years of marriage, we've found a few game-changing secrets for regularly reading a couples devotional together.
And in this post I want to share with you what we've learned so that you and your spouse can enjoy regular couples devotions too!
#1 Secret to Reading Couples Devotionals Regularly with Your Spouse
Our couples Bible time became habitual (and powerful) when we finally said—with humble, teachable hearts—“Jesus, we know you want us to be spending time with you together on a daily basis. Show us how to do this within our crazy life.”
This meant that we didn’t commit ourselves to following a strict regimen.
Or to never missing a day. Or to only doing couples devotions at a specific time of day.
We’ve kept our couples devotions time open and yet still kept it a priority, continually asking God for wisdom on how to make each day work.
Instead of locking ourselves into a schedule–and tacking on all that guilt when the schedule would fail–we simply kept it a priority and sought creative ways (for that season) to read a couples devotional together.
7 Tips for Making Couples Devotions a Habit
My husband and I have developed some simple guidelines for regularly reading a couples devotional together. Again, these aren't a list of “shoulds” and “musts” but mindsets.
We pray that these ideas will make enjoying a couples devotional (on a regular basis!) a reality for you and your spouse, too!
1) First, Forgive Each Other and Start New. Maybe your marriage devotional times have been hit-or-miss, or simply non-existent. This may have caused all kinds of built-up guilt and shame. Talk openly with each other, and pledge to start together from a new fresh place.
2) Determine What You'll Study in Your Couples Devotions. Couples devotions don't have to be fancy! Sometimes my husband and I have read a chapter of Proverbs and then prayed together.
Other times we’ve gone through a couples devotional and then looked up additional verses. There’s no right or wrong answers here as long as God’s Word and prayer play a major part of the time.
Curious what our favorite couples devotional is?
Our favorite couples devotion is Consecrated Conversations from our dear friends (and marriage coaches) Mike and Carlie Kercheval.
I love that these couples devotions are meant to, as they put it, “teach you how to have holy conversations with your spouse.”
Yes! Isn't that the point?!
This marriage devotional doesn't just give you a Bible verse to read, but it includes meaningful commentary, a sample prayer and then discussion questions on important marriage topics.
This best-selling couples devotional has helped over 16,000 couples build a better marriage!
The Kerchevals, certified marriage coaches, Bible teachers and an awesome married couple of over 21 years, will introduce you to a 30 day, step-by-step proven process for learning:
- how to pray together as a couple
- how to read the Bible as a couple
- how to better communicate about important marriage issues
Plus as a digital resource, you can carry it with you wherever you are! And there's tons of great additional content, such as videos and printable marriage cards, along with the devotional.
I also appreciate that Consecrated Conversations understands the big needs of Christian couples: that we want to communicate and connect with our spouses and we're disappointed and hurt that we can't seem to make it happen. Consecrated Conversations is a specific, proven roadmap for a closer marriage for Christian couples.
I highly recommend this marriage devotional to many couples as the best couples devotional out there! Order your copy here.
P.S. Did I mention that this couples devotional experience (that includes an e-book, a video workshop, and scripture cards) is an INSANE value?! It's only $47 for $161 worth of content.
Seriously, the Consecrated Conversations Devotional is an amazing bible study experience to do with your spouse! What are you waiting for?
GO HERE TO GET CONSECRATED CONVERSATIONS
3) Keep It Private and Close the Door. Closing the door keeps us focused on each other and on God during couples devotions. This also models for our kids that time together in the Word is a private and important part of marriage (and they know not to come in if the door is shut).
4) Be Creative in Your Execution. We've found that mornings are best for us most days. But my husband travels quite a bit, so we've been known to get our devotional time late at night in via phone or even FaceTime.
I love how a good couples devotional make it easy to guide the conversation… especially when one of you is traveling (or, let's face it–tired!).
Don't miss our list of 10 favorite couples devotionals here.
5) Keep It Realistic and Full of Grace. Maybe it’s an especially tough season and couples devotions one day a week is all you can commit to right now. Great! One day a week is better than no days a week. Just make couples devotions a priority in your marriage.
6) Jump Back on the Wagon When You Fall Off Track. Despite your planning and best efforts, there will be seasons that couples Bible time just won’t happen. We get sick. Emergencies happen. Or we just plain forget (oops!). The point is, if you skip a day (or two, or five), forgive yourselves and re-start the couples Bible devotions habit. It's really OK!
7) Commit to Daily Couples Devotions for at Least a Month. Try it for 30 days and see how your marriage changes! Once my husband and I had enjoyed a regular couples devotional time, we were that much more compelled to keep up the habit. It became less of a chore and more of a delight.
Other Posts on Spiritual Growth in Marriage
- 7 Amazing Couples Devotionals to Bless Your Marriage
- 26 Ways Busy Parents Can Have More Date Nights
- The Surprising Secret to Better Sex in Christian Marriage
- 130 Creative Ways to Say I Love You to Your Spouse
- Romantic Love Quotes to Share with Your Spouse
- 8 Bible Verses About Love in Marriage
- How to Make SMART Marriage Goals with Your Spouse
- 4 Questions to Ask When Facing Tough Marital Issues
- Divorce Isn’t the Only Way to End a Marriage
- 5 Signs Your Marriage Is Headed for Trouble
- Waiting for the Miracle in Your Marriage
- Why a Daily Check-In Makes All the Difference in Our Marriage
And don't forget to check out that awesome Consecrated Conversations Couples Devotional!
Fantastic! Great to hear!
It works! Thank you!!
Hi Brooke! Thank you so much for the heads up! I have fixed the link and it should work now. 🙂
I really want to read the 7 tips you have written, but when I click “Next,” it won’t take me to the next page (it just re-loads the first one). Is there a way you can fix this or help me see the rest of the pages? Thanks a lot!
Rebecca! Thank you so much for your beautiful words here. I’m so sorry to hear about the stress you’ve been facing in your new marriage. I am so blessed to hear that what I’ve written is an encouragement to you! May you both continue to seek God as you make the adjustments to married life! Blessings (and yes, agreed–with Him, anything IS possible)!
My husband and I have been married for a year and 3 months so we are still fresh into the married life. Lately, we have been dealing with a lot of life stress and it has affected our relationship in more ways than one. So here I am seeking for a way to bring us closer than ever and I find your blog posts! Thank you so much! Your posts are seriously an eye opener and I feel like your tips are just what we need. With God, anything is possible!
xoxo
Wonderful! Thanks, Amy!
Thank you! I’m glad they were encouraging!
I love this idea! Both my hubby and I work from home, so this should be simple enough to implement. Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth!
I love this idea! Both my hubby and I work from home, so this should be simple enough to implement. Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth!
Yay! Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear this. It is so easy to let it slip by… but such a blessing when we can make it part of our routine. Keep grace as part of it so that it doesn’t become “just one more thing to do” but something that you long to do together. Blessings!
Absolutely! It’s a wonderful way to grow closer in a marriage. Thanks for stopping by!
It is so easy to push the most important things (God & Marriage) to the side for the mundane. My husband and I have talked about doing daily devotionals for a long time, but we just keep the excuses rolling…example- the dishes and the toddler need to be washed… I am looking into Closer now that you have suggested it and hopefully we can start building on this habit together! Thank you!
This sounds like a great way to connect spiritually and as a couple. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
True, Bradleigh! It easy to let our busy schedules push out our time with God together. I think grace with each other around this issue is critical too. We try to make devotions together something we do several times a week, but there are seasons where we get out of the habit. However, when we get out of the habit, we simply pick it back up again. Thanks for your idea about keeping the Bible on the nightstand as a reminder! That’s great!
Pinned! This is helpful. It’s so easy to let the busy-ness of life push out this important thing, and I think structure is key. Something that helps us is to keep the Bible on the nightstand, that way, when we’ve forgotten all about our devo time, we see the Bible when we climb into bed and are reminded.