Many couples wonder how to gain agreement about sex and intimacy when life is busy, schedules are hectic, and expectations for sex seem constantly misaligned.

If you're at all like us, you and your spouse probably don't desire sex the same way or with the same frequency. This can cause frustration in your marriage that, if left untreated or undiscussed, can turn into bitterness, division, and worse. Sex isn't everything in marriage, but it is very important to be unified and satisfied in your sex life together—for your enjoyment and for God's ultimate glory.

In today's episode of The Fierce Marriage Podcast, we'll discuss:

* What if my spouse desires sex more often than I do?

* How can we be intimate without feeling obligated to do so?

* How do we align our expectations for sex in marriage?

Show Notes:

* We read 1 Corinthians 7:5:

* "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

* A few cautions when reading the above passage:

* It's not a tool to be used to demand sex in marriage.

* In context, this verse is about acting in mutual agreement to the common goal of greater intimacy and reliance on Christ.

* By choosing to abstain from sex for a time, to focus on spiritual growth. This is not a form of asceticism, but rather a method of grace-fueled worship.

* If a couple is not actively agreeing to abstain from sex, they're passively (or actively) agreeing to NOT abstain from sex. If that's the case, your sex life should look "normal and healthy" for you, but it may take some digging to discover what that means. We proposed two steps:

* Clearly define what "not abstaining" looks like and what a healthy, normal sex life looks like in your marriage.

* Calibrate your expectations for sex. Read our post, "The Spectrum of Sex".

* Couples Challenge:

* Read The Spectrum of Sex together or separately.

* Discuss your expectations for sex, and what your spectrum might look like.

* Identify what a normal, healthy sex life looks like for your marriage and within God's design for sexuality.

* Create an action plan for building a normal, healthy sex life together.