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Explore the profound connection between a toddler's first steps and the profound spiritual journey of walking in God's grace and freedom. Discover how understanding grace, freedom, and consequences can guide you to make responsible choices that lead to a blessed life.

Sweet friends, we can no longer sugarcoat this issue; we must face the devastating and alarming statistics that increasingly show just how damaging artificial intelligence is to our relationships. More importantly, how “these systems” that are mimicking human likeness and thoughts are slowly destroying our marriages!The Stats Are In, and It’s Concerning!According to a marriage survey on Marriages.com, 33% of married couples felt that AI tools understood the nature of their marital problems better than their spouse. Even more, after using AI, 44% felt calmer and 38% felt more confident. In addition to this survey, 28% have used AI to make financial decisions and have turned to AI for advice on specific issues regarding their marriage before even talking to their spouse.Gen Z and Millennials seem to be the most active users, some even seeking AI for companionship, moral support, and other needs that should be fulfilled within a marriage, according to the Institute of Family Studies.If these statistics weren’t concerning enough, the truth is that faith-based and long-term marriages are not immune. In fact, the rise in technology, along with its easy accessibility, has shown that even the strongest of couples are falling into the negative trap of AI.Is AI All Bad?Not necessarily. In short, if AI is used responsibly and appropriately, it can be a helpful resource and effective way to reduce stress, manage schedules, offer creative outlets, and more. The key takeaway is that AI must be used with healthy boundaries, intentionality, and on purpose.Healthy boundaries include setting time limits on using the tool, not relying solely on it for emotional or mental support, creating privacy settings to avoid inappropriate content, and setting it to “do not disturb” or “no phone use” during prime time for conversations, such as the dinner table.Being intentional and purposeful of our time with AI is invaluable. It’s ever so easy to scroll or chat away with various systems without a second thought, but we must be mindful of “why” and “what” we are seeking when we are using these devices. In other words, if you find you are mindlessly connecting with AI and don’t necessarily know “why,” it may be time to set it down and walk away.Sneaky Ways AI Is Damaging MarriagesSure, AI isn’t all bad, and we can put safeguards in place to protect our hearts, minds, and marriages. But we can’t turn a blind eye to the sneaky (and rather clever) way AI can blur the line between healthy and unhealthy use, essentially driving a wedge between a faithful husband and wife.Just keep in mind Exodus 20:3, which states that we should have no other gods (idols) above God. Yes, that includes our handheld devices, “virtual” assistants, digital experts, and all the tech and science that seemingly simulates humans. The harsh reality is that when technology takes over our marriage, and we turn to it more than we turn to each other (and more importantly, before we turn to God), we are disobeying our heavenly Father.As we dive into three ways AI is sneaking into our marriages and wreaking havoc, pause to reflect, respond, and remember that prayer is paramount. If you are struggling with any of the issues below, seek God through repentance and soften your heart to receive His wisdom, counsel, and guidance.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PeopleImages

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