A recent look at the most-searched relationship questions of 2025 revealed the top five queries people around the world are asking:
1. What does a monogamous relationship really mean?
2. When does the honeymoon phase end, and what comes next?
3. What is an open relationship?
4. What counts as cheating?
5. And—Am I in a toxic relationship?
These questions reflect the deep uncertainties many face in modern dating and marriage. At its core, it reminds us that relationships can stir big questions—and that seeking truth, clarity, and God-honoring love matters more than chasing cultural definitions. While the internet offers easy access to a wealth of information, we need more than information to navigate life’s greatest challenges; we need wisdom.
If we’re all searching for answers about love, commitment, and trust, how can we lean on God’s wisdom instead of culture’s shifting definitions—and let Scripture shape our hearts and relationships?
I’ve been married for almost 20 years, and the primary lesson that I’ve learned from our commitment to each other is that relationships are hard. We are all broken people who often struggle to embody God’s love for those around us. Grace upon grace is required to maintain a love that lasts.
When big questions arise about how to navigate the joys and trials that often accompany marriage and more, it can be our tendency to avoid seeking the counsel of a friend, pastor, or Christian therapist when we are unsure what to do. Many of us don’t take the time to read God’s Word, which is rich with wisdom and encouragement, or we forget to pray fervently for our relationships.
Instead, the internet has just become the default place that we go to find answers to all our burning questions. It’s incredibly easy to find a wealth of information online. Why not open our laptops or Smartphones in hopes we can discover on our own how to handle some of life’s biggest relational challenges?
Sometimes we are looking for any words that can make sense of our own stories; it does not always matter to our hearts the source of those words. In the loneliest moments in my marriage, I’ve also looked to my phone for hope, hoping the advice it produced would somehow give me clarity. I’ve learned, many times the hard way, that God’s Spirit and his unfailing Word are my best sources for truth and wisdom when I’m searching for direction.
The digital world was never intended to become our relational or spiritual leader; after all, neither Google nor AI generators has souls. Their findings are random or algorithmically rigged. The Holy Spirit does not inspire the results produced from online inquiries, so we must be cautious when making decisions based on their suggestions. While information can be helpful, the Bible teaches that we need more than knowledge alone; we need God’s wisdom, faith, and love.
Building Marriage on God’s Truth, Not the World’s Opinions
Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “A person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Meaning we can search out information and try to figure things out on our own, but to grasp wisdom, we must trust God to guide us. God’s way is different than the world's way, so we must be very cautious about what information we rely on when seeking direction for our lives.
The wisdom of the world will tell us that monogamy is outdated, that sex is primarily for personal pleasure, not covenant, and that when marriage gets tough, our priority is always our personal happiness instead of faithfulness. The Bible speaks of a different way to approach our marriages and relationships in general. God’s way inspires us to honor Him, our bodies, and each other with our actions. A Christian marriage is about covenant, not convenience, and God is at the center of the union, holding us together when the going gets tough.
In the Bible, we also learn that God hates adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). He wants you to have peace in your relationship and not to remain enslaved to an unbelieving or unsafe person (1 Corinthians 7:15). Colossians 5:19 -21 warns against, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Love and respect are the foundations of a strong relationship (Colossians 3:18-19). Marriage brings two distinct people and binds them together as one flesh in the sight of the Lord. We are souls are connected when we are married (Matthew 19:6).
When searching for answers, we must hold up the advice we are receiving against the Word of God. We must guard our hearts against ideas that will pull us away from the firm foundation God gives us to build our lives on. Thankfully, God’s Word has so much to say about marriage, relationships, and love that we don’t have to guess at the answers we need to our very real and practical questions. If we are willing to seek God’s way for our lives, he is faithful to guide us. He cares so deeply about us and those we are in relationship with; we can trust him to keep us safe through the storms we endure together.
Love That Lasts: Grounding Your Marriage in Prayer, Wisdom, and Grace
I’ve often lamented that I have no idea how anyone can stay married in this day and age without God as an anchor for one’s soul and a guide for one’s life. There are so many ways to hurt each other in a culture obsessed with instant gratification and success. At a minimum, we can so easily become indifferent towards our partner because there are so many pressing things to attend to than committing to the hard work of being one flesh. In the more difficult situations, trust can be shattered with the exchange of an inappropriate text or through hidden addictions.
I’m here to warn you that Google’s tips won’t be sufficient in guarding your relationship from the many very real threats actively trying to destroy your marriage. The only hope we have of building an enduring love with our partner is through a continual reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and hold us together through life’s many trials.
Habits that ground us and keep us rooted in Christ include regular prayer for our relationships. Research indicates that couples who pray together stay together. Keeping open lines of communication and placing guardrails that protect our marriage from betrayal are essential to a healthy relationship. When necessary, seek out wise counsel, support, encouragement, and accountability when things aren’t going well, rather than giving in to temptation or giving up on one another.
Allow forgiveness to flow freely between you, as God reminds us that love covers a multitude of sins. Let God’s Word be a lamp unto your feet as an individual and as a couple, and never let abuse go unchecked in your home. Always seek freedom when you’ve been hurt or betrayed by someone you love. These are the basics that the Bible teaches, that if you embrace, you will be able to endure and find peace in your relationships. May this truth guide us as we all do the hard work of loving one another with God’s love.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/ omid armin
