Discover 10 meaningful things couples can give up during Lent to strengthen love, deepen faith, improve communication, and grow spiritually together.
Lent is a sacred season of reflection, repentance, renewal, and spiritual growth. For Christian couples, it is also a powerful opportunity to strengthen not only their relationship with God but also their relationship with each other. Instead of focusing only on individual fasting, couples can intentionally give up habits, attitudes, and distractions that weaken unity, intimacy, and spiritual alignment.
This first section explores the deeper purpose of Lent for couples and introduces meaningful areas that partners can surrender together for spiritual transformation.
Understanding Lent as a Couple
Lent is traditionally a 40-day period of preparation leading to Easter. It symbolizes sacrifice, discipline, humility, and spiritual awakening. For couples, Lent becomes more than personal devotion — it becomes shared spiritual alignment.
When couples intentionally fast from harmful habits or unhealthy patterns, they:
- Improve emotional intimacy
- Strengthen communication
- Remove spiritual distractions
- Build unity and teamwork
- Invite God into the center of their relationship
Giving something up during Lent is not about punishment. It is about making room — making room for grace, patience, forgiveness, and deeper love.
1. Give Up Pride
Pride is one of the most damaging forces in relationships. It prevents apologies, blocks vulnerability, and fuels unnecessary arguments.
During Lent, couples can commit to:
- Apologizing quickly
- Listening without interrupting
- Admitting mistakes
- Valuing unity over being right
Humility strengthens love. When both partners surrender pride, emotional safety increases.
2. Give Up Harsh Words
Words shape the emotional climate of a relationship. Sarcasm, criticism, and anger slowly erode intimacy.
Instead of harsh words, practice:
- Gentle responses
- Encouragement
- Active listening
- Constructive communication
Lent is the perfect season to fast from negative speech and build a culture of kindness at home.
3. Give Up Unnecessary Arguments
Not every disagreement needs to become a battle. Many conflicts arise from stress, fatigue, or misunderstanding.
During Lent, couples can agree to:
- Pause before reacting
- Choose peace over ego
- Discuss issues calmly
- Let small irritations go
This intentional discipline reduces tension and strengthens unity.
4. Give Up Emotional Distance
Busyness, technology, and daily stress often create emotional gaps between partners.
Instead of distance, commit to:
- Daily meaningful conversations
- Scheduled quality time
- Prayer together
- Checking in emotionally
Lent can be a season of reconnecting heart to heart.
5. Give Up Comparison
Comparing your relationship to others — whether through social media, friends, or unrealistic expectations — breeds dissatisfaction.
Healthy relationships grow when couples:
- Appreciate their unique journey
- Celebrate small progress
- Focus on gratitude
- Avoid unrealistic standards
Comparison steals joy. Gratitude restores it.
Why Giving Up Matters
When couples give up destructive habits during Lent, they are not losing something — they are gaining:
- Greater patience
- Stronger communication
- Emotional security
- Spiritual depth
- Renewed love
Lent becomes a season of purification — removing what harms and nurturing what heals.
The first five things couples can give up during Lent — pride, harsh words, unnecessary arguments, emotional distance, and comparison — all directly impact relational health. By surrendering these patterns together, couples create space for forgiveness, unity, peace, and spiritual intimacy.
In the next section, we will explore five additional sacrifices that can transform a relationship during Lent and deepen both marital and spiritual connection.
10 Things for Couples to Give Up During Lent – Second Section
Lent is not only about giving up physical comforts like sweets or social media. For couples, it is an invitation to surrender deeper habits that quietly weaken love, trust, and unity. When two people intentionally fast from unhealthy relational patterns, they create space for healing, spiritual growth, and renewed connection.
In this second section, we continue with five more powerful things couples can give up during Lent to strengthen both their relationship and their faith.
Unresolved resentment slowly poisons intimacy. Even small offenses, when stored instead of discussed, create emotional walls.
During Lent, couples can commit to:
- Forgiving quickly
- Addressing issues calmly
- Releasing past mistakes
- Praying together for healing
Forgiveness is not weakness — it is strength. When couples let go of grudges, they free their hearts from bitterness and allow love to breathe again.7. Give Up Excessive Screen Time
Phones, television, and social media can silently replace meaningful connection. Many couples sit next to each other but are emotionally disconnected.
This Lent, consider:
- No phones during meals
- One technology-free evening per week
- Turning off devices 30 minutes before bed
- Replacing scrolling with conversation
Digital fasting can restore eye contact, laughter, and real connection.
8. Give Up Control
Control issues often show up as micromanaging, constant correction, or unwillingness to compromise. Healthy relationships require trust.
Couples can practice:
- Allowing differences
- Sharing decision-making
- Trusting each other’s strengths
- Letting go of perfectionism
Surrendering control invites mutual respect and partnership.
9. Give Up Neglecting Prayer Together
Many couples pray individually but rarely together. Spiritual intimacy strengthens emotional intimacy.
During Lent, commit to:
- Praying together daily, even briefly
- Reading Scripture as a couple
- Attending church consistently
- Thanking God for each other
When couples pray together, they align their hearts with God’s will and invite divine guidance into their relationship.
10. Give Up Taking Each Other for Granted
Familiarity can lead to complacency. Over time, appreciation may decrease while expectations increase.
Instead, practice:
- Saying “thank you” often
- Expressing appreciation daily
- Noticing small acts of kindness
- Celebrating each other’s efforts
Gratitude keeps love alive. Appreciation strengthens emotional bonds.
The Spiritual Impact of These Sacrifices
When couples give up grudges, excessive screen time, control, neglecting prayer, and complacency, they experience:
- Deeper trust
- Greater emotional intimacy
- Stronger spiritual unity
- Increased peace at home
- Renewed affection
Lent becomes more than tradition — it becomes transformation.
The 10 things couples can give up during Lent are not about restriction; they are about renewal. By surrendering pride, harsh words, unnecessary conflict, emotional distance, comparison, grudges, distractions, control, prayerlessness, and ingratitude, couples create room for grace, humility, patience, and deeper love.
Lent offers a sacred opportunity to rebuild what may feel strained and to strengthen what already exists. When couples fast together spiritually and relationally, they grow together.
This season can mark a turning point — not just toward Easter, but toward a healthier, more united, and spiritually grounded relationship.
If couples approach Lent with intentional sacrifice and sincere hearts, the result will not be loss, but lasting growth.
10 Things for Couples to Give Up During Lent – Final Section
Complete Conclusion and Spiritual Wrap-Up
Lent is not simply a season on the calendar — it is a sacred invitation. For couples, it becomes a powerful opportunity to reset, realign, and renew both spiritually and relationally. When two people intentionally surrender harmful habits together, transformation happens not only in their hearts but also in the atmosphere of their home.
Throughout this reflection, we explored ten meaningful things couples can give up during Lent:
- Pride
- Harsh words
- Unnecessary arguments
- Emotional distance
- Comparison
- Holding grudges
- Excessive screen time
- Control
- Neglecting prayer together
- Taking each other for granted
Each of these patterns quietly affects connection, intimacy, and spiritual unity. Lent offers couples the space to identify what weakens love and replace it with what strengthens it.
What Happens When Couples Surrender Together?
When couples intentionally give up these unhealthy habits, several powerful changes take place:
- Communication becomes calmer and more respectful.
- Forgiveness replaces resentment.
- Gratitude replaces criticism.
- Presence replaces distraction.
- Unity replaces division.
- Prayer becomes a shared foundation.
The home begins to feel lighter. Conflicts decrease. Emotional safety increases. Small acts of kindness grow. The relationship becomes less about winning and more about understanding.
Lent teaches couples that sacrifice is not about loss — it is about making room. When pride is removed, humility grows. When distractions are reduced, connection deepens. When control is surrendered, trust expands.
The Deeper Spiritual Meaning
At its core, Lent reflects sacrifice, surrender, and renewal. For couples, this means:
- Dying to selfish habits
- Choosing patience over irritation
- Extending grace instead of judgment
- Placing God at the center of the relationship
A spiritually healthy relationship does not happen by accident. It grows through intention, discipline, and prayer.
When couples fast from negativity and embrace gratitude, they mirror the deeper meaning of Lent — transformation through surrender.
Practical Steps Moving Forward
To make these changes lasting beyond Lent:
- Schedule weekly check-ins to discuss growth.
- Continue praying together consistently.
- Revisit gratitude daily.
- Address conflicts early instead of storing resentment.
- Protect time for connection without digital distraction.
Lent may last 40 days, but the habits built during this season can strengthen a marriage or relationship for years.
The 10 things couples give up during Lent are not random sacrifices — they are intentional steps toward unity, healing, and deeper love.
When couples surrender pride, harshness, resentment, distraction, and complacency, they create space for:
- Compassion
- Patience
- Understanding
- Emotional intimacy
- Spiritual alignment
Lent becomes more than a tradition. It becomes a turning point.
A couple that sacrifices together grows together. A couple that prays together strengthens together. A couple that chooses humility and gratitude builds a lasting foundation.
May this Lenten season renew your relationship, deepen your faith, and fill your home with peace, grace, and enduring love.
This Lent, don’t just give up something temporary — give up what weakens your relationship.
Choose one habit from this list and begin today. Pray together. Talk honestly. Forgive quickly. Appreciate daily.
Make this season a spiritual reset for your relationship.
If this message encouraged you:
- Share it with your spouse or partner.
- Commit to a 40-day relationship renewal challenge.
- Start praying together tonight.
- Write down one change you will both practice this week.
Transformation begins with one intentional step.
Lent ultimately points to the greatest act of love and sacrifice. Healthy relationships begin with a surrendered heart.
The Bible teaches that true renewal starts when we turn to God. Salvation is not about perfection — it is about grace. When individuals surrender their lives to Christ, their relationships are also transformed.
If you desire spiritual renewal in your life and relationship, you can pray sincerely:
“Lord, I recognize my need for You. Forgive my sins and renew my heart. Teach me to love with patience, humility, and grace. Lead my relationship according to Your will. I surrender my life to You. Amen.”
When hearts change, relationships change.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why should couples give something up during Lent?
Giving something up builds discipline, encourages spiritual growth, and removes habits that weaken unity and intimacy.
2. Do both partners need to give up the same thing?
Not necessarily. Couples can choose one shared sacrifice or individual areas that need growth.
3. What if one partner is more spiritually committed than the other?
Start gently. Lead by example. Focus on kindness and patience rather than pressure.
4. How can prayer strengthen a relationship?
Prayer builds humility, encourages forgiveness, improves communication, and invites God into the relationship.
5. What if we fail during Lent?
Lent is about grace, not perfection. If you fall back into old habits, reset and begin again with honesty and commitment.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of love and partnership. During this Lenten season, help us surrender pride, anger, distraction, and resentment. Teach us to speak kindly, forgive quickly, and appreciate one another daily. Strengthen our unity and deepen our faith. May our relationship reflect patience, humility, and grace. Guide us in every decision and draw us closer to You and to each other. Amen.
May your home be filled with peace.
May patience replace frustration.
May forgiveness replace resentment.
May gratitude replace complaint.
May prayer become your foundation.
May love grow stronger with each passing day.
May this Lenten season bring renewal, healing, and lasting unity to your relationship.
