Christian Living

How to Stay Married in Quarantine

Author Tim Barnett Published on 04/16/2020

The coronavirus crisis has consequences. There are health concerns, economic worries, education turmoil, and employment uncertainties. These aren’t the only concerns, though. In fact, there is one consequence of this crisis you may not have considered.

China was the first to lock down key areas with the hope of stopping—or at least slowing—the spread of the virus. The government ordered families to shelter in place. After weeks in isolation, many families emerged from quarantine physically whole but relationally broken. While many were shielded from sickness, they were powerless against marital problems. In the aftermath of China’s lockdown, the media is reporting a surge in divorces.

The coronavirus has produced unique circumstances. We are now spending more time with our families. Some have lost jobs. Some have kids home from school. All of this intensifies tension at home.

This should serve as a warning. Hardship often makes marriage harder. Quarantine creates quarrels. Isolation intensifies issues. Therefore, we need to be diligent in guarding our marriages.

In response, my wife and I are producing a series of videos titled “Marriage Under Quarantine.” Our hope is that this series will give you practical tools to protect your marriage in this pandemic.

We want husbands and wives to watch these videos together. You can watch the series live at 7:30 PM (ET) each Wednesday night on the Cedarview Community Church YouTube channel.

You can check out the first episode below.