Too often we look at our spouse’s faults, forget that they are human, and we have unrealistic expectations of one another. We resent rather than rejoice when our mate is blessed and has opportunities to enjoy times apart from us.
Satan is ever vigilant and prowls around looking for ways to fill our mind with lies that spawn from our past experiences, our fears, and our personal insecurities. Setting aside a time to discuss God’s Word as a couple and seeking His will for our combined life will do much to prevent any feelings of sadness, neglect, abuse, or abandonment.
Of course, some behavior is very abusive, and some people take more time with others and neglect their husband/wife. If we tolerate this behavior, it will probably escalate over the years. Sharing lovingly and honestly about our disappointments and feelings of neglect or abuse as well as praying together (Hebrews 11:6) about a balance in both our lives will help to resolve many issues.
Spending some intentional time together cuddling, or out in nature, or even a quick trip to the grocery store during the week will knit us together mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well as cultivate more intimacy, compassion and security in our relationship.
Our commitment to each other is one of the most important vows we can make in our lifetime, and it requires a constant vigil to remain strong as well as a huge blessing to both of us and our entire family. Sin and demonic forces often enter our relationship and drive a wedge between us.
These issues are not unforgivable or insurmountable and are ultimately reconcilable if together we take distractions, abuse, and neglect to God in prayer for His wisdom and guidance (Matthew 19:6). We do not blame one another for these issues, but we take responsibility for our own part in the breakdown.
Cherishing our mate above everyone else will help to build our bond and affect every area of our life. Our physical make-up and our psychological philosophy of life vary as a man and a woman but give us different perspectives on life’s issues in addition to surprises in our day that we did not anticipate (Genesis 2:18).
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for placing the desire in husbands to support, understand, serve, provide for, and protect their wife; and also, for giving wives the desire to cooperate, respect, admire, serve, and support their own husband. Teach us to pursue balance in our life together. Teach us how to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, and supportive of each other in this complex world in which we live (Ephesians 4:32).
Help us to be humble enough to apologize quickly when we say or do something that may hurt our spouse and wound them emotionally. Guide us to be honest with each other, to value one another’s feelings, viewpoint, and thoughts even if they seem inconsequential to us. Remind us that You gently exhort us in order to restore our relationship with You, and we can follow Your Word and Jesus’ example when relating to one another too.
Thoughts for the Day:
When disagreements, financial upsets, health issues, disappointments, and discouragement occur, we can seek God to draw us together as husband and wife, and to resolve the issue rather than to allow it to put a wedge of negative emotions and suspicions between us that cause the rift to widen when future upsets arise.
