A healthy marriage is governed by a cherishing affection for one another. We endure slights, broken promises, and busy schedules that exclude us and make us feel like an unwanted appendage. At times, however, we give in to pitiful feelings and resentful attitudes that affect our flow of love toward one another.
A prisoner to our thoughts and feelings, we may even express anger and bitterness at the least appropriate times. God’s Word gives us a clear alternative to this behavior. First, we readily forgive; and second, we think about positive factors in our relationship. We focus on the good (Philippians 4:8).
This allows us to retain our loving relationship with one another, and to quickly, honestly and kindly resolve the issues. Nursing our wounds only enlarges the possibility of disagreements from the lies that Satan attempts to use to destroy our marriage, family and life. We never need to cling to destructive thoughts and feelings.
Another ploy of the devil is to make us jump to conclusions without getting all the facts before we make a decision. These misunderstanding fester in our heart, and soon they overwhelm and discourage us. We make assumptions that seem reasonable, but that eventually make us look like a fool.
The more we allow our mate the benefit of the doubt, the more successful we are in maintaining the flow of love between us. Our spouse may have the best intention, or they may get caught up in an overly scheduled agenda that excludes us. Enlightening them for our need to be scheduled into their calendar may solve the problem.
If not, then we may need to get more creative. However, even the most inventive attempts to communicate our needs may continue to fall flat. This is when we can change our focus, and then go to God to receive what our mate continually fails to give to us. We cannot change their behavior, but we can change ours.
Prayer:
Father God, You designed marriage as a partnership between two co-heirs to Your Kingdom. As we submit to one another, and consider each other before making any plans or decisions, then we can avoid many conflicts that would otherwise arise in our marriage. Help us to keep a record of the blessings in our relationship, so the negative aspects will not overwhelm us.
We want to make giving one another our undivided attention a common practice each day of our marriage. Remind us that we all stumble and have our individual faults (James 3:2); therefore, we need to have the humility and kindness to focus on the good points instead of our mate’s irritating peculiarities (Philippians 4:8). We are Your Bride, and we look forward to spending eternity with You.
Thought for the Day:
Date nights give us a longer period of time to convey our love and appreciation for our mate; spending time together may even surprise us when we see how well-suited we are to one another, how much we enjoy each other’s company, and how our mate’s strengths will help us to overcome our weaknesses.
