There is a word for couples who are doing well that we do not often hear preached: defense.
Not because something is wrong, but because something is right.
When a marriage is healthy, joyful, and growing, the work does not stop. It changes. The call shifts from survival to stewardship. From building to guarding. From longing for stability to protecting it.
If your marriage feels strong, if your home feels alive, if your love still surprises you with its freshness, Scripture has a clear instruction for you: pay attention.
Prosperity Requires Vigilance
The Bible speaks plainly about seasons of abundance. And it does not treat them casually.
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.
This verse is not about livestock. It is about responsibility. What is flourishing today requires attention tomorrow. Blessing does not sustain itself automatically.
A thriving marriage can slowly drift into neglect, not because of conflict, but because of comfort. When things are good, it becomes easy to assume they will remain good without effort.The Bible warns against that assumption.
The Subtle Threat Is Distraction, Not Disaster
Most marriages do not fall apart because of one dramatic moment. They erode quietly.
Distraction replaces intentionality.
Busyness replaces presence.
Maintenance replaces gratitude.
None of these feel dangerous in the moment. But unattended gardens never stay healthy for long.
Jesus said it plainly:
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
If your marriage is a treasure, your attention must follow.
Playing Defense Is Not Fear. It Is Wisdom.
Defense is not about suspicion or control. It is about awareness.
It means you notice when rhythms change.
You notice when conversations shorten.
You notice when affection becomes assumed rather than expressed.
Defense says, “This matters too much to leave unattended.”Wisdom does not wait for warning signs. It responds to blessing with stewardship.
Tend Your Own Garden
One of the greatest threats to a healthy marriage is not internal conflict, but external comparison. Looking outward creates neglect inward.
Your assignment is not someone else’s marriage. It is your own home. Your spouse. Your children. Your shared life.
Tend it carefully. Tend it daily.
A Called to Marriage Conviction
At Called to Marriage, we believe strong marriages are not accidental. They are cultivated.
A good season is not a pause in faithfulness. It is a call to deeper faithfulness.
To pray when it feels easy.
To communicate when nothing feels urgent.
To invest when returns are already visible.
That is how blessings are preserved.
Guard What God Has Entrusted to You
If your marriage is joyful, give thanks.
If your home is peaceful, remain attentive.
If love feels alive, protect it.
Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Faithfulness is not proven in crisis alone. It is proven in care.
Guard what God has given you.
Pay attention to your home.
Tend your garden well.
Not because something is wrong, but because something is precious.
If you found this insightful, you might value reading Tend Your Own Field: Discerning the Season of Your Marriage.