Tag: Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples

‘They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.’ Proverbs 23:7(NLT)

Ever glance off at a pretty sunset only to feel your car tires jarring along the roadside? Truth is, if we focus exclusively on driving between the yellow lines, we avoid veering. We can apply this principle to our life and marriage as well. 

Napoleon Hill once wrote, “Every man is what he is, because of the dominating thoughts which he permits to occupy his mind.” He’s not alone in his thinking. Thought leaders through­out time agree that our outcome begins in our mind-set. We find what we look for. We become what we think about. Their wisdom suggests that when we focus on fixing our issues, we unwittingly perpetuate our problems. However, when we focus on our desired outcome, aligning our thoughts with God’s pur­pose, we reap the benefits of living His design for our marriage. 

As a couple, what do you tend to talk about? Where do your thoughts most naturally gravitate? 

If you want to live a higher way of living—God’s way of liv­ing—in your marriage, create new habits of thinking. Instead of thinking and talking about your obstacles, consider God’s pur­pose. Instead of focusing on the problems in your relationship, consider what you both agree on and desire as an end result. Instead of pondering what you want to change about your spouse, consider how your differences make you stronger. Envision your desired outcome and welcome God’s perfect plan for your mar­riage, knowing your outcome begins in your mind-set.

• Answer the following questions together: What is our desired outcome in our marriage? How is God calling us to shift our mind-set? What is His vision for us as a couple? How will we align our thinking with God’s to better celebrate each other and welcome His design for our marriage? 
• Each day, make a conscious effort to focus your thoughts, energy, and prayers specifically on your desired outcome—especially when you’re tempted to think otherwise.
• Pray together daily, asking God to help you look past the obstacles and instead see His vision for your marriage.

Father, empower us to see Your vision instead of our obstacles. We want to celebrate Your unique purpose for our marriage and see the beauty in our individual design.

from Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples

‘But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ‘ Romans 5:8(NLT)

Neither of us lived a squeaky-clean life. Even after our con­version, we made huge blunders. One time, in the midst of a really dark season, God showed up in a bar and lovingly impressed on me this single thought: There’s nowhere you can run that my grace won’t find you. Wow. Talk about uncondi­tional love. God didn’t condemn or pay back what I deserved. He demonstrated forgiveness and stirred repentance through His unending grace and unconditional love. 

When you think of unconditional love, what comes to mind? Do you immediately envision someone who loved and served you selflessly? Better yet, how has God revealed His absolute, unrestricted, and unmerited love toward you? 

For years, we’ve centered on this central truth: God’s love is more tender than a mother’s, more faithful than a brother’s, and more intimate than a lover’s. Jesus overlooked all of our indifference and pride, and willingly offered up His life. He nailed the weight of our sin to its final death on the cross. 

Yet understanding and receiving God’s love commissions us to reciprocate and extend His love. Jesus told the disciples, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another” (John 13:34). So how did Jesus demonstrate God’s love, leaving a model for us to follow? And how can we best model and demonstrate His love to each other in our marriage relationship?

• Talk about Romans 5:8. Share how God has lavished you with His love, even when undeserved, and discuss any other thoughts or people that come to mind when you think about unconditional love. 
• Take time individually to write down the ways you’ll demonstrate unconditional love to each other (and to the other members of your household). How will you live as an example of His unconditional love to each other? 
• When you see your spouse demonstrating God’s unconditional love, say something to let them know how much their love means to you.

Father, at times it’s hard to give love unconditionally because of our own needs and desires. Remind us to remain silent when we want to retaliate, to serve instead of always expecting to be served, and to love—even when it isn’t convenient or doesn’t feel warranted. Empower us to love each other as You love us.

from Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples

‘For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.’ Romans 11:36(NLT)

Several years ago, our middle child struggled between two decisions. She vacillated and wondered in which activities she should participate. Heavy-hearted and shoulders slumped, she asked, “Which do you want me to do, cheerleading or dance?” Without hesitation, we responded, “Which would you enjoy the most?” 

As you take steps toward living God’s purpose for your marriage, we encourage you to ask yourself the same question. Don’t overcomplicate your marriage purpose. When we align our passions with our service to God, it brings Him pleasure. Just as we desire our children to fully enjoy life, God desires for us to enjoy life to its fullest. Our joint passions combined with our spouse’s reveals His design and purpose for us as a couple. We bring Him pleasure when we use our gifts, talents, and passions to honor Him. 

Eric Liddell, a famous Scottish athlete, understood this truth. In the movie Chariots of Fire, he was quoted as saying, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel His pleasure.” 

Simplify your thoughts and center them on this central truth: God created you and your spouse to bring Him pleasure together. When you submit your gifts, talents, and passions back to Him for His use, you bring Him pleasure.

• Make a list of the things you love to do (each spouse should make his or her own list). Compare lists. What activities, interests, or passions do you have in common? What do you enjoy doing together? 
• Make a list of the gifts and talents you recognize in your spouse. Share what you wrote with the other. Use statements like “I love how you _____ because that’s a weakness of mine” or “You are so amazing at _____ .” 
• Consider how you can combine your gifts to bring God pleasure in and through your marriage, and then pray together, asking God how you can use your gifts to bring Him pleasure.

Father, we want our marriage to bring You pleasure. Cause us to live our life for You by simply being who You already created us to be. Inspire us to recognize each other’s gifts and talents and to encourage each other in them. We desire to honor each other and bring You pleasure in the process.

from Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples

‘“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.’ Matthew 5:14-16(NLT)

As a couple, the highest compliment we experience occurs when our children say “We see Jesus in you” or “I feel His love when I’m with you.” Wow. What a feeling. 

As a spouse (or parent), one of the best ways to cultivate new habits of thinking so we experience a higher way of liv­ing is by daily asking “How can we make God known (most naturally) in our home?” After all, the greatest opportunity to make God known begins within our family relationships. 

True, God calls us to make Him known through our random acts of kindness, by extending encouragement or benevolence to outsiders, or even by offering gentle responses to people we encounter day to day. But those same habits of extending God’s love should first be extended to each other. We welcome a higher way of living for our marriage when we daily purpose to make God known in our words and actions to each other in the privacy of our own homes. 

Can you imagine how much our relationships would thrive if we as a couple determined one way each day to concentrate on making Him known within the four walls of our home? Can you imagine how much we could impact our culture and future generations if every morning before our feet hit the floor we invited God to reveal one way we could make Him known to our spouse and to our children?

• Discuss how Matthew 5:14–16 applies to you as a couple.
• Discuss a few ways you can add value to each other and to your children this week. Then do it!
• When you wake up each morning this week, say a short prayer, asking the Lord how He wants you to make God known through your words and actions to each other and your children.

Father, remind us to make You known in the way we respond, in the actions we take, and in the way we treat each other. We want to live full-on into Your purpose, in a way that pleases You both practically and spiritually.

from Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples

‘For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.’ Ephesians 2:10(NLT)

Ever get tired of to-do lists? If so, you’ll love this simple truth: God’s purpose for your marriage isn’t another thing you need to do; it’s a celebration of who you are. God created every one of us on purpose and for a purpose, and the same holds true for our marriages. But in order for us to live God’s purpose, we need to create godly habits that foster life and welcome His purpose into our everyday living. 

Part of welcoming God’s purpose means that we stop focusing on our problems and concentrate our attention on God’s intention. We experience a higher way of living when we choose to look past our hardships and instead look for­ward and upward to live God’s design, a practice George Washington Carver embraced. 

George Washington Carver, a man born into slavery, certainly faced a lot of hardships. But he didn’t allow those hardships to stop him from using his gifts as a botanist and inventor. Instead, Carver went into his private time of study and lifting a peanut toward heaven, prayed, “Lord, we have so many of these. Help me discover the purpose for this peanut.” 

And guess what? God did. 

God revealed three hundred purposes for the peanut. Wow. Think about it. If God can reveal three hundred purposes for something as seemingly insignificant as a peanut, surely He holds a purpose for your marriage.

• Read Ephesians 2:10 together. 
• Discuss how it applies to you as a couple. Ask each other “What do we care about? Who do we care about? How can we use our gifts and talents together for God’s purpose?”
• Pray and ask God to reveal His purpose for your marriage. 

Father, reveal Your purpose for our marriage. Show us how we can serve You and each other, right where we are, every day.

from Married For A Purpose—Devotions For Couples