‘But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”’ Mark 10:6-9(NLT)
Last year in the United States, we spent 72 billion dollars on wedding ceremonies. While wedding days are special days, marriage is not about the big day—it’s about the everyday.
Think about it: we promised our spouse some pretty amazing things, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in heath, for better or for worse, and till death do us part. We convinced another person they could trust us with their heart…for life.
If our spouse is going to know kindness on a daily basis, we have to choose to be consistently kind. If our spouse is going to know grace on a daily basis, we have to choose to give grace. If they are going to know thoughtfulness, laughter, intimacy, protection, we have to choose to give them these things. We have to practice what we promised.
And the great news is that this plays itself out in really practical ways.
If your spouse loves gifts, buy them one. If your spouse tends to like sex more often than you, have more sex. If your spouse loves words of encouragement, write them a note. If your spouse loves affection, be affectionate apart from sex. If your spouse wants you to spend time with them, carve out the time. Whatever speaks love to your spouse, speak it.
When you love our spouse, even when they are irrational, even when their baggage creates an unfair tension, even when they are simply not that lovable, it is powerful for your marriage because it helps you to become… YOUR BEST US.
Action Step
Today choose one small way to practice what you promised on your wedding day.
Prayer
God help me to remember my spouse’s face on the day we said “I do” so that I can practice what I promised.
from Your Best Us: Marriage Is Easier Than You Think