Connecting with an open and honest community of couples can help strengthen marriages. But how does community help?
They fight like we do
A community opens your eyes to see that your struggles and challenges are not so unique. You will be amazed to find that you and your spouse aren’t the only ones arguing over silly things, such as who left the bathroom lights on. Problems don’t seem so impossible to overcome when you realize you’re not the only ones facing them. A community of couples can broaden your perspective and offer support for dealing with common issues.
Newlyweds are so loving but as conflicts arise community help is in need / USAA Community

What can we learn?
Community also gives you the opportunity to see other marriages in action. Being in relationship with other couples allows you to see things you want to develop in your marriage and things you want to avoid. As you develop relationships with older couples, you will also gain insight and clarity about what you want your marriage to look like in the future. Couples whose marriages have stood the test of time inspire us and give us hope to persevere through difficulties.

New wisdom
Community allows us to also see all kinds of strategies and arrangements that have worked – or not worked – for other couples. Whether dealing with parenting crises or job transition, we have gained much-needed wisdom from other couples. So where do you find a community like this? Join a cell group, or invite other couples over for dinner and talk with them about meeting regularly.
If you have been feeling as though your marriage could use a range of perspective, new insight or practical wisdom, community could be the answer. This article was published with permission from Focus on the Family Malaysia. If you liked this article and would like to go deeper, we have some helpful resources at: www.family.org.my