Does spirituality improve marital satisfaction?

The research is in!

Studies show that when spirituality is valued in a marriage such as when a husband and wife share similar beliefs and religious practices, marital and familial satisfaction rates are significantly higher than in families with few or no spiritual resources or where spirituality isn’t a priority.

Further, children in spiritual families report higher levels of happiness and familial satisfaction than in families where spirituality is not a key component.

Studies have also found that if only one person is spiritual, the highest levels of familial satisfaction result when the spiritual person is the husband. Women and children in these families are significantly happier and more satisfied than those in families where only the wife is spiritual or in families where no one is spiritual.

Spirituality is a term that is used to refer to religious belief and practice.  More specifically, spiritually is a term that transcends doctrine focusing more on a personal relationship with a higher power.

For Christian families, a spiritual person is one who seeks to know and relate to God in a positive manner.  They hold a positive image of God and carry feelings of warmth about Him.  Those positive feelings tend to result in attitudinal and behavioral changes that promote familial satisfaction.

In short, genuine Christianity results in active spirituality where the believer possesses what the Bible refers to as “the fruit of the Spirit,”  specifically identified as: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

These positive qualities make people of genuine faith and spirituality more approachable, less self-centered, and more loving – all good traits to have in a family!

So, if you want a more positive relationship and increased marital satisfaction, then it is a good idea to look at your own faith.  Do you possess the “fruit of the Spirit?”  Has your religion made a difference in how you treat others?

When it does, your family will be happier.  The research proves it!