"And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31) I first wrote this article in a discussion on chat9ja.com. Today, as I perused it and reviewed it in the light of the scripture in Mark 12:31, I gained a deeper insight on the topic. Nobody loves a breakup! Most young people of marriageable age enter a relationship hoping that it will lead to marry, but then break ups occur. Even most marriages have broken up because of these things I am going to talk about....
1. Lies
I had to put this one at the top. Lies are small but mighty. They lead to mistrust, and once trust is lost, understanding can be hard to reach, and this will tear any relationship at its core. Some people think that lying is funny or a way to crack jokes, but once your partner perceives you as a liar it is hard to make the connection and openness needed to build a lasting relationship
2. Abuse: Nobody likes to be taken for granted. If you want to have a happy and lasting relationship, don't abuse your partner. Don't take their love for granted. Don't offend them and expect them to understand. Apologize when you are wrong. And, do not insult or use bad words on your partner for whatever reason. It is easy to forget a bad deed than a bad word. Insults sink right into the core of our heart, and pollutes it.
2. Infidelity
In the marriage setting where sexual relation is part of the deal, infidelity is when one partner engages in a sexual relationship with someone else other than their spouse. Infidelity drives partners apart emotionally. Cheating partners are always on the look out to avoid being discovered. This will result in double standards, lies, deceits. All of which tear down the closeness needed in a marriage.
3. Distance
When relationship is between two people at different places, it can lead to a lot of stress. Most people cannot handle the emotional stress and discomfort that comes with missing someone. Some may resort to keeping temporary close by relationships in order to assuage the pressure of missing their partner, but all these can only lead to problems in a relationship
4. Family
Family is a strong tie. If you are in a relationship that your family does not support, this can spell doom for the relationship even before it gets started. It takes lots of grace and providence to survive in a relationship without support from your family. Your family is your first relationship, your first community; and 60% of what you are comes from your family. So try to carry them along in your relationships
5. Unforgiveness
Finally, no relationship exists without flaws or offenses. The major ingredient that will help any relationship thrive is forgiveness. My straight advice to young people is simply if you cannot forgive, don't get married. Full stop
In summary if both partners can obey the words of Jesus in Mark 12:32 "Love thy neighbour (partner) as thyself", then the relationship must surely blossom. God bless you