The Intimately Satisfied Marriage

 by Angie Lewis
Heaven Ministries
Copyright © 2007

What constitutes intimacy in a relationship? Is it having great sex once a day?  Is it being romantically involved? It could be those things, but intimacy is sharing yourself with the one you love because you trust them and you appreciate them. Sex alone is not what makes intimacy. Romance alone is not what makes intimacy. But if you put romance, sex, respect, honesty, communication, and appreciate into the equation and you balance those areas out in the marriage that could very well constitute intimacy in marriage.  

To feel close to the person you married, you first have to trust them. That includes knowing that they are there for you if you need them. An intimate relationship is a supportive one. When you appreciate, and encourage the person you love on a consistent basis you are forming an intimate bond. Rejecting your spouse in any way is pulling away at those trust levels that marriage so much needs. Couples need and want to feel secure and emotionally involved with their partner.

It is quite ironic that couples feel closer and more loving towards each other the more they give of themselves in the marriage. Intimacy is not something that just happens, it is made. It takes two to become intimate, and it takes two to bring and maintain intimacy in the marriage. If only one is working towards being close and the other is pulling away from getting close, then intimacy will not happen.

In marriage or in any relationship if you want to be intimate and share a close bond with the person you love, then the effort most definitely has to be put into it. Intimacy is communicating on a deeper level than just talking about the weather and “what’s for dinner”? Many couples take this area of the relationship for granted. They do not realize that their marriage actually thrives on intimacy.

Not sharing closeness with the one you are married to is one of the underlying reasons for infidelity in marriage, not just physically, but emotionally as well.  And this brings me to communication in marriage. Emotional infidelity is becoming the new fad. It starts out innocent enough, but having an emotional involvement with someone other than your spouse is dangerous to the marriage. Couples do not need to go looking for someone who understands and appreciates them. All they really need to do is to be open and honest in their conversation with the person they married.

Communicating on an open and honest level is a part of intimacy process. So it is very important to learn proper communication skills on that level. Productive communication brings something into the relationship to help couples to know and understand each other. From the communication below, ask yourself what you could learn from each other.

“I like it when you touch me there?” “I feel it easier to tell you my true feelings when you don’t discount my feelings”  “When you reject me, I don’t feel very close with you.”  “I felt hurt last night when you made fun of me in front of our guests.” “Please do not make jokes about me in front of our friends.” “I would like it if you would try and come home earlier at night, but if your job keeps you working late so you can take care of us, I understand.” “I would like it if you would not wear that skimpy shirt anymore. I want you all to myself, and I don’t think it is a good idea having other men stare at your breasts.”  “I want to protect you, that is one of the ways I feel that I am loving my wife.”  “Could you please not cook spinach soufflé anymore, I just don’t like it, but everything else you cook for us is wonderful.”

This kind of communication is productive because it is open and honest. If you happen to say something negative always say something positive in the same sentence. Productive communication brings couples closer together because they are opening up to each other.  And this is what you want in marriage. It is my belief that couples have productive talks a couple of times a week. These communications keep you updated and emotionally involved with the person you married, which couples thrive on for an intimately satisfied marriage.