Lifestyle: Formula for a successful marriage by Counsellor Adofoli

It is very unfortunate that many young people these days, see marriage as the ultimate end to their needs; a solution to all their problems.

Don't go into marriage to be rich; your purpose is to go into marriage to fulfill a divine mandate and also be happy.

This will make you value your partner even when things are bad for you in the marriage.

You will value the friendship, the love, the family and the union than the price of the clothes you wear, the brand of your car, the salary earned, the size of your mansion, etc.

Gate your marriage from the lifestyle of people in your community; your marriage is unique and a blessing, only God knows the size of that blessing, and it is in no comparison to other people's marriage.

The truth is, when you know how rich you are in God, there is no need to entertain any opinion from others or what you think.

Your marriage is a blessing. "The man who finds a wife finds a good thing; she is a blessing to him from the Lord" - Proverbs 18:22 (TLB).

You might not know the blessing you have today because of its raw nature, but once you can refine it, you will appreciate what God has given you. Most of the problems lie in the processing stage; not everyone wants to work at it but everyone wants to have the finished products.

Watching TV, we all wonder how people can be stuck in the mud, bath and live in the mud in search of gold; knowing what they are looking for, they never get tired of the mud, never tired of digging, never tired of working.

Even if they don't arrive at what they want in a day or two, they never give up, and you can imagine the size of their smile when they finally find the gold they are seeking for.

You can never marry someone who is the same as you; if you are normal, you will surely get married to someone abnormal, that is someone different from you. The only thing that keeps big and successful companies in business is the fact that one’s defect is another’s job.

Your partner is not perfect; their shortcomings, imperfections or lack, is your job. Their weakness is your strength. Instead of running away from your partner because of their imperfection, make it your business; look for ways and means of turning that into your strength. This is the formula for a successful and lasting marriage.

In conclusion “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" - Luke 16:10 (NIV).