Letting Go of Relationships That Didn’t Serve the Marriage
Letting Go
Day 4 of 7 · Tuesday 17 March 2026
Scripture reading
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
1 Corinthians 15:33, KJV
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24, KJV
Teaching lesson
One of the important adjustments Joshua and I had to make in our marriage was learning to let go of relationships and habits that did not support the life we were building together.
When we first got married, we realised that some friendships from our past did not always reflect the values we wanted for our marriage. Some of those relationships were shaped by habits from our single lives, and we had to recognise that certain influences were no longer healthy for protecting the unity of our relationship.
Marriage requires a shift in priorities.
We also realised that it was important to set boundaries with outside influences, including family and friends. At times this required honest conversations to make it clear that our marriage was now a unit, one that needed to be respected.
Over time, Joshua and I learned that protecting a marriage means being intentional about what and who we allow to influence it.
Today, we prioritise spending time together, and we are careful not to place work above family. We also protect the privacy of our relationship by keeping personal matters within the walls of our marriage.
Healthy boundaries are not about shutting people out; they are about protecting what God has joined together.
When a couple learns to guard their unity, their relationship becomes stronger and more secure.
Together
Your challenge
Have a conversation about one boundary that could help strengthen and protect your marriage.
Discuss how you can prioritise your relationship above outside pressures.
On your own
To reflect on
- Are there outside influences that may be weakening the unity of our marriage?
- Do I protect the privacy and trust of my relationship with my spouse?
- How can I better prioritise my marriage over other relationships or commitments?
Prayer focus
“Lord, help us to guard and protect the unity of our marriage.Give us wisdom to set healthy boundaries with the influences around us.Teach us to prioritise the relationship You have given us and to honour it with our choices.In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
With love and prayer,Sharlene
Vividly in Love offers encouragement and practical tools, not counselling. If your marriage is in a season that needs professional support, Sharlene’s counselling practice, Vivid Resolutions, works with adults and couples across the Caribbean.
This is not a crisis service. Emergency contacts vary across the Caribbean. If there is immediate danger, contact your local police or ambulance service. In Trinidad and Tobago: Police 999, Ambulance 811, or 800-COPE (2673) for a mental-health crisis.