Does Sex Make Any Difference?

 

Sex doesn't fix everything, but it can make all the difference in the world.

Some wives have plenty of reasons for not trying to improve sexual intimacy in their marriages. Sex is less pure and godly than other non-flesh aspects of marriage. Husbands should love us for our hearts, not for our parts. Sex is just too much of an idol. We’re tired. We have other things to do. Sex is supposed to diminish as we get older.

Plus, it isn’t like sex is going to fix anything, right? Sex doesn’t really make any difference, does it?

For instance, sex can’t fix the big problems in life. At best, maybe it provides a little distraction and some occasional comfort.

My husband and I have hit a very difficult spot, with both of us out of work and no prospects in front of us. My husband spent the entire day on the phone and submitting applications online, only to be told that either he didn’t have enough of the right kind of experience or that he was overqualified.

I have never seen my husband as broken as I have seen him today. He is scared about our future and is questioning much about life. Seeing him like this has been frightening to me. Although I have complete faith that God will take care of us, this is a dark and difficult time.

One of the wonderful things about a good marriage is the comfort you can find in your spouse. So, at one point today, we even attempted to have sex. It didn’t work for either of us, but there was some comfort in simply setting aside worries and frustrations for a while and simply being with each other. So, sure, sex helped a little, even though there wasn’t a happy ending.

It’s just about sex, right?

Several years ago when I began to recognize that denying my husband sex was hurting him, I really thought it was just about sex. I thought that for a long time after I began the journey, too. Over time, we became more comfortable with each other. We worked more as a team. Our marriage became happier overall. Still, I thought it was mostly about having a better sexual relationship and that this just spilled over into other areas.

But something more happened. The journey that I thought was about sex has proven to be about intimacy. I mean real intimacy, the kind where there are no more walls between spouses, where everything is visible to the other. I had always liked having clear boundaries between my husband and me. My inner-most heart was protected. The thought of complete intimacy terrified me.

As a result of improved physical intimacy with the growth and freedom in our marriage bed, we had grown in terms of emotional intimacy. We had become more of a team, with a shared sense of living life together more than two people living parallel lives in a shared space. Growing toward the one-flesh-ness of marriage made me feel more complete—except for one thing. Rather than being glad that I still had my inner-most heart to myself, I had come to feel that something was still missing. I realized that it was spiritual intimacy.

The final frontier

When we were first dating, my husband asked if we could pray together. That sounded far too intimate to me, so I stomped out that idea right away—and it had never come up again. We usually say grace before meals, but my husband and I have never really prayed together. Ever. But now that our intimacy has grown in other areas, I realized I wanted that.

I prayed for that to happen. I asked my husband to lead us in devotionals and Bible studies on occasion; sometimes he would, but without prayer. I talked with him about the growth in my personal prayer life. I made vague references to the idea of us praying together. I didn’t push, because I had a sense that it was important for him to lead in this. I figured my spiritual refusal when we were newly dating had damaged that part of our relationship. My fear of intimacy had stunted our growth in every area. So I prayed for God to work in my husband’s life and help me stay out of the way.

A few weeks ago, he asked if he could begin praying together at bedtime. My heart soared, even though there was a small part of me that was scared at letting go of that last little bit of heart privacy.

That night, my husband placed a pillow on the floor for my achy knees and we knelt next to each other. He wrapped his arms around me. As he began to speak to God, I felt God’s arms wrapped around both of us together.

I have known this man for twenty-seven years, yet I have learned new things about him as he has opened his heart during our prayer time. Our marriage has grown so strong and solid over the past couple years, but something was still missing. Now, it isn’t.

One step led to another, which led to another . . .

Today, as my hurting husband shared his heart with me, I wrapped my arms around him and listened to him tell me his fears. He allowed himself to be vulnerable, trusting that I would not reject him in any way. Although hearing his fears reminded me of my own, it also showed me very clearly that there are no more barriers between us. I laid my head on his chest and thanked God that in the midst of the darkness I could see this beautiful connection between us.

I held my husband’s heart within my own. I thought about the journey that had led us to this point. The new spiritual intimacy between us made this connection possible—and the spiritual intimacy was made possible by the improved emotional intimacy, which was made possible by the improved physical intimacy.

In other words, our full intimacy, with our hearts completely shared, was made possible by . . . sex.

Sex doesn’t fix everything. Sex doesn’t really make any difference, does it?

Or maybe. . . it makes all the difference in the world.

Sex doesn't fix everything, but it can make all the difference in the world.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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22 Comments on “Does Sex Make Any Difference?”

  1. Thank you for this beautiful testimony. There is no amount of money or financial security that can come close to the treasure you’ve found in your marriage. That’s what it’s all about.

  2. I am sitting here in stunned disbelief that you just wrote the article I pray for my wife to one day echo. We have been with each other for 27 years, and every single aspect of your testimonial fit to a T.
    Seeing as how I don’t believe in coincidence, I am certain that the hand of our Almighty God led me to your sight, for some encouragement. As usual, He did it in a way that identified His signature, and proved yet again that He knows my heart better than I, and I am so thankful for your willingness to be used by Him in this manner.
    I have hope, always, but now it is a little easier to be patient. Thank you for a gift that I could never buy, felt given, like or Savior’s life.
    God Bless,
    Jack

    1. That would be freely given, and our Savior. I despise autocorrect except when I like it…
      Jack

  3. FW – I can sympathize with your work situation and I will pray for you and your husband. Your faith in God is right and good. You will get through this rough patch. Keep God first and all else will follow.

    1. Thanks, Lori. If we could get just one amazing job for my husband, I could just keep on doing what I’m enjoying from home and be perfectly content. 🙂

    1. Thank you, J. Sex itself is a comfort, and the fact that it has led to other kinds of intimacy that are an even deeper comfort still surprises me sometimes. It shouldn’t, but it does.

  4. There is no doubt that God is in process of molding a job, a perfectly suited job. I am praying unceasingly for you both during this season. It is just a season. The blessing of this hard season brought you and Big Guy to the Final Frontier. And who knew that sex wasn’t about sex, but transparent intimacy?

  5. Praying for a great job for y’all. What a great example of an encouraging wife that you are!

  6. Yes! It makes ALL the difference in the world. Oh, how I wish I could impress this upon all wives. I had about a 3 year period as a “gatekeeper” that I deeply regret. I have cried many tears over it. My husband and I are separated and both out of work so I know how difficult this is for you. My gate keeping was one of our issues. The good news it seems we are in the process of a possible reconciliation. Please pray for us whenever you think about it. I am praying tomorrow is a good day and not a disappointment. I can also say even though there are financial stresses I’ve really reached a point I would be willing to lose it all to have my family back together and happy.

      1. Tammy,
        I’m praying for you too. My husband and I reconciled after being divorced for 10 years. God’s power to redeem is truly amazing.

        Blessings to you sister!

  7. Just saw the “tweet” on your sidebar that your husband got the job. Oh yes, a happy, happy day. Congratulations!! Have fun celebrating. 🙂

    1. Yes, he got a job. While it isn’t what we had hoped for in some respects, it will give us more options. We are so thankful to have felt God’s hand in this.

  8. Came back to this post to say that I was moved by what took place when you two reconnected in prayer time. So much so that I felt that “still small voice” was calling me to do the same. I finally quit stalling and asked C that I might start praying with her before bed. She seem quite pleased that I had asked and seems to enjoy the connection from prayer.
    I am glad that God led you to post about it. Thank you and God bless you Chris.
    E

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