The First Step Towards A Better Marriage
Ladies, when your husband looks at you, do his eyes say he knows, without a doubt, that you believe in him? Men, when your wife passes you in the hallway, do her eyes say, “I’m so glad I married you”?
Take a moment to recall the last time you saw that twinkle in your spouse’s eyes. Remember the deep satisfaction you felt watching your husband’s eyes light up with soaring confidence because he sensed your admiration for him. Or the way your wife’s eyes misted when she knew she had your support.
How long has it been since you’ve experienced moments like this? Too long?
Would you like to return to that good place in your marriage? Or are you afraid too many years have passed, too many hurtful words have been said, too many “too-manys” have taken place?
In most cases, both partners contribute to a marriage’s demise. Yet God can use just one of you to begin restoring your relationship. Read 1 Corinthians 13:7b (AMPC):
Love … is ever ready to believe the best of every person.
You have a choice.
You can continue to experience that sinking feeling each time you see hurt and discouragement in your husband or wife’s eyes because you berated them – again – for not doing something “right.” (Just writing this makes me never want to see this look in my husband, Bert’s, eyes again.)
Or you can have deeply satisfying moments every time you stand with your spouse, believing in your partner and choosing to focus on what’s good about them.
Ladies, what would happen if you began right now believing in your husband, trusting that he really wants to be the man God created him to be? Men, what if you complimented your wife and focused on her beautiful qualities so that, one day, she couldn’t imagine life without you?
If your marriage is in a bad place because your needs aren’t being met, let me assure you that God knows and cares about every one of these needs. He knows how deeply you want to be loved and respected.
What might happen if we, husbands and wives, trusted God’s Word by faithfully practicing 1 Corinthians 13:7 for one month?
After thirty days, what do you think our spouses’ eyes will be saying when he or she looks at us? What will our eyes be saying to them?
Let’s try it and see.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)
- Will you take the “30-Day 1 Corinthians 13:7 Challenge?”
- Are you excited to see what your husband’s or wife’s eyes will be saying to you at the end of the challenge? And yours to your beloved?
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Great words to live by!
Thank you so much, Barbara. I pray my message will minister to all relationships.
I always appreciate it when you drop by, Barbara. Thank you.
And – AS ALWAYS – thank you for sharing this devotion on your Facebook page, Barbara!
A great message.
It’s not too late to restore your marriage.
It happened to us several years ago when I prayed non stop to help us stop quarreling.
Through my prayers, God not only heard my prayers but restored our marriage.
I’m married to a non-believer so that made my desire for change critical. I can happily say that a miracle took place and we actually enjoy each other’s company.
I ALWAYS appreciate hearing your testimony of how God transformed you – and your marriage – when you allowed Him to change you, Sandra! Please pray for me (and others) that we will completely surrender our words (and thoughts) to God.
It’s takes a lot of determination to gradually make changes. At first as I was changing through Jesus, I’d walk away from confrontation and if my husband wanted to argue then he could argue with himself. Moving forward to now, a miracle took place in our home.
I will pray for those struggling.
Thank you, Sandra! I pray we will daily experience God’s presence in our marriages – and in all our relationships.
1 Corinthians 13:7b (AMPC):
Love … is ever ready to believe the best of every person.
This is such good advice. I wonder if my parents had had guidance such as this or if I had had guidance such as this, if my first marriage would’ve lasted. I know my current relationship of 10 years has so benefited from the commitment of my partner Don that brought us through many times I’d given up. When the relationship is working its because I’ve taken the time to be grateful for his commitment and for all he does for me and to tell him so. And, when I have doubts, I have to struggle to remember that love… is ever ready to belive the best of every person. I practice self care and then see how good he is to me.
Hello, Elizabeth. WELCOME to Today Can Be Different.
I too wonder how differently my first marriage would have been had I practiced 1 Corinthians 13:7b, too.
Thankfully, we can learn from the past and trust God to continue His work in us!
Please tell Don hello for me and how impressed I am with the way he practices commitment.
Thank you for stopping by, Elizabeth. I hope you do so often.