Begin with the Prayer of Abandonment.

Today’s theme is longing. It is desire that seeps deep into our bones, into the deepest recesses of our hearts. And yet, this feeling does not originate in the human heart: It is placed there by God, to give us a foretaste of the depths of the love he has for us. It is this same longing that is characterized by the last paragraph of our daily prayer:

Into your hands I commend my soul;

I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,

For I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,

To surrender myself into your hands without reserve,

And with boundless confidence,

For you are my Father.

Marriage can be lonely, especially in times of stress  when it can be easy to pull away and turn inward. And yet, we were made for companionship, for union. If at times we cannot get what we need from our spouse, all is not lost.

We can offer our longing back to the One who designed us for communion, and know that he will never leave us alone.

When was the last time you felt alone in your marriage? Discuss it with your spouse, then ask . . . What do you find most comforting when you feel alone and long to feel truly loved?