Tag: 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.’ Ephesians 5:21(NLT)

A husband and wife must function like two wings on the same bird. They must work together in harmony or the marriage will never get off the ground.

Marriage is a partnership. It’s not just a partnership in a business sense, but it’s the most sacred type of partnership. It’s two people committing their lives to God and to each other. It’s a promise to be there for each other through every season. It’s a vow to bring out the best in each other and to always have each other’s back. It’s a selfless act of placing the needs of your spouse ahead of your own need. When both spouses will consistently do this for the other, the marriage will soar!

Reflection: In what areas of our marriage do we need to develop a stronger partnership?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:5(NLT)

Your marriage won’t be defined by the size of your struggles but by the size of your commitment to overcome the struggles together.

Couples who make it work “til death do us part” aren’t the ones who never had a reason to get divorced. They’re simply the ones whose love and perseverance was always stronger than their reasons for quitting. Those two ingredients (love and perseverance) might be the two most powerful forces in a marriage. If you remain steadfast in your love for each other and unshakeable in your commitment to each other, your marriage will never fail!

Reflection: Are both love and perseverance at the heart of our marriage?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. ‘ 1 Peter 4:8(NLT)

It’s not our job to fix people; it’s our job to love them even while they are broken.

There will be times you are tempted to “fix” your spouse or change something about your spouse, but resist that temptation. When one spouse tries to change the other, neither of them are changed but both of them end up frustrated! Instead of fixing or changing or coercing, just love each other. Love is what God uses to change us

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ‘ Matthew 7:24(NLT)

Storms are inevitable, but destruction is optional. The right foundation makes all the difference.

The strongest homes and the strongest marriages all have one thing in common: A strong foundation. Storms will come in your marriage. Circumstances that are out of your control will rock you and threaten to destroy you, but if you have the right foundation, you will weather any storm. Every marriage needs a foundation of faith in God, commitment to one another and resolve to face every obstacle hand-in-hand and side-by-side.

Reflection: What is the foundation of our marriage?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.’ Proverbs 29:11(NLT)

Choices made in anger lead to regrets.

Anger is a natural human emotion. We all feel it, so the Bible never says that anger itself is a sin. Anger, however, can easily lead us into sin. We tend to make our worst choices when we’re responding in anger. If you are quick to anger, you should pray and ask God to reveal the root causes that are robbing you of joy. You should also be very careful not to allow your anger to control you, because it could also sabotage your marriage.

Reflection: Do I make my choices in anger or do I make my choices with wisdom?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.’ Proverbs 23:4(NLT)

Your family can do with less of almost everything if it means having more of you.

The Bible clearly calls us to hard work and to a sacred duty of providing for our families, but in our culture the sin of laziness doesn’t seem to be nearly as common as the sin of overworking. If you are too busy to consistently spend quality time with your family, then you need to immediately re-examine your priorities. On your deathbed, your faith and your family will be all that matters to you, so please don’t wait until then to make them a bigger priority than your work.

Reflection: Am I consistently showing my spouse and family that I love and value them above my pursuits and possessions?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.’ Proverbs 26:11(NLT)

Your mistakes don’t define your character. It’s what you choose to do after you’ve made the mistake that makes all the difference.

If we make a poor choice once, it’s a “mistake.” If we make the same poor choice again, it’s a deliberate and destructive decision. Are there choices you are consistently making that are harming your marriage? Are there habits that need to stop? Are there words that need to cease? Don’t get stuck on autopilot and continue to make decisions that need to stop. Anything left on autopilot will eventually crash. Examine your choices and stop repeating the bad ones.

Reflection: Am I repeating any negative behaviors that need to stop once and for all?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.’ Proverbs 16:24(NLT)

The tone of your words will shape the tone of your marriage.

Think about the tone of your words when you are talking to your spouse. Are you rushed and annoyed or are your tender and thoughtful in your replies? One of the most powerful (and tragically underused) pieces of marriage advice is to simply be nice to each other. There’s never a good excuse to be unkind to your spouse. Kindness is contagious; but unfortunately, so is rudeness. Make sure you’re spreading the right one.

Reflection: Am I creating a climate of kindness or of rudeness in my marriage?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ‘ James 1:19(NLT)

The best spouses are good communicators and the best communicators are good listeners.

Listening is the most effective form of communication. Most of us listen only to form our response instead of listening to fully understand what the other is saying. When your spouse is talking, put down the distractions and give your undivided attention. Taking the time to listen with undivided focus and wholehearted compassion communicates much more than your words ever could.

Reflection: Would my spouse consider me to be a good listener?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage

‘Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. ‘ Romans 12:17(NLT)

Don’t treat your spouse the way your spouse treats you. Treat your spouse the way God treats you.

There’s a natural tendency to want to “keep score” in marriage. We want credit for all our good deeds and we want payback for any wrongs our spouse might have committed towards. The problem with keeping score in marriage is that both spouses always lose. God gave us His best while we were at our worst, and He calls us to love each other in His perfect example of love. Give your best even when your spouse is at his/her worst. People need love most when they deserve it least.

Reflection: Do I freely give my spouse the love and grace that God has freely given me?

from 31 Days To A Stronger Marriage