Marriage - Your Choice
A strong healthy marriage is built over time by choice, effort, and discipline. Good marriages don't just happen. They are built through the trials and celebrations of life that are experienced.
The foundation of your marriage is important to its growth and longevity. Jesus clearly lays that down for us in John chapter 15.
This is My command: love one another the way I loved you.
John 15:12 Message
The love of God has been given to us generously through Jesus Christ. And it was based on a choice. God chose to send His Son. Jesus chose to obey the Father and lay down His life. Every aspect and result of God's love for us is a reflection of His decision to love.
Notice that I did not mention anything about a feeling or an emotion. That's because feelings alone are not enough to sustain a marriage. Over the next few weeks I will discuss some the choices we make that can help us strengthen and repair our marriages. Although I will be writing specifically about marriage, keep in mind that these same choices can apply to every relationship we have.
Some choices will be difficult and others will come easily. Depending on what season your marriage is going through, you may think one or two are impossible but I encourage you to keep an open mind and seek God's input. Your choices will have one of two effects on your marriage. They will either help it or hurt it. Choose wisely.
Before my husband and I got married we decided that our marriage was going to be a room with no doors. We agreed that under no circumstances would we ever consider or entertain the idea of divorce. We actually talked about this the night we got engaged. We clearly established the lines in which our marriage would grow and changing lanes was not an option.
There have been a few times since that day almost 11 years ago that we faced heart breaking situations in which we had to go back to that day, that choice, and re-up on our commitment. This is a truth of marriage. You will from time to time have to go back to a decision you have made and make it again.
Your everyday choices will have an impact on your marriage. Make it stronger with good choices like these:
Choose to notice the good in your spouse, not their faults.
Choose to give your spouse all of your attention when they speak, not part of it.
Choose to make your relationship with your spouse second only to your relationship with God.
Choose to do something everyday that will make your spouse smile or laugh.
Choose to speak words of encouragement and respect instead of criticizing.
Choose to pray for your spouse everyday.
Choose to forgive every time.
Choose to think highly of your spouse and don't dwell on their weaknesses.
Choose to love your spouse unconditionally.
The choices you make have a huge effect on your marriage but let's face it, you are not going to feel like doing any of these everyday. That's when you do them anyways. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus didn't feel like going through the torture that He knew was coming but He chose to anyway.
Marriage is no place for selfishness.
The sacrificial love of marriage is an imitation of the love that Jesus displayed for us when He died on the cross.
Heidirn
The foundation of your marriage is important to its growth and longevity. Jesus clearly lays that down for us in John chapter 15.
This is My command: love one another the way I loved you.
John 15:12 Message
The love of God has been given to us generously through Jesus Christ. And it was based on a choice. God chose to send His Son. Jesus chose to obey the Father and lay down His life. Every aspect and result of God's love for us is a reflection of His decision to love.
Notice that I did not mention anything about a feeling or an emotion. That's because feelings alone are not enough to sustain a marriage. Over the next few weeks I will discuss some the choices we make that can help us strengthen and repair our marriages. Although I will be writing specifically about marriage, keep in mind that these same choices can apply to every relationship we have.
Some choices will be difficult and others will come easily. Depending on what season your marriage is going through, you may think one or two are impossible but I encourage you to keep an open mind and seek God's input. Your choices will have one of two effects on your marriage. They will either help it or hurt it. Choose wisely.
Before my husband and I got married we decided that our marriage was going to be a room with no doors. We agreed that under no circumstances would we ever consider or entertain the idea of divorce. We actually talked about this the night we got engaged. We clearly established the lines in which our marriage would grow and changing lanes was not an option.
There have been a few times since that day almost 11 years ago that we faced heart breaking situations in which we had to go back to that day, that choice, and re-up on our commitment. This is a truth of marriage. You will from time to time have to go back to a decision you have made and make it again.
Your everyday choices will have an impact on your marriage. Make it stronger with good choices like these:
Choose to notice the good in your spouse, not their faults.
Choose to give your spouse all of your attention when they speak, not part of it.
Choose to make your relationship with your spouse second only to your relationship with God.
Choose to do something everyday that will make your spouse smile or laugh.
Choose to speak words of encouragement and respect instead of criticizing.
Choose to pray for your spouse everyday.
Choose to forgive every time.
Choose to think highly of your spouse and don't dwell on their weaknesses.
Choose to love your spouse unconditionally.
The choices you make have a huge effect on your marriage but let's face it, you are not going to feel like doing any of these everyday. That's when you do them anyways. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus didn't feel like going through the torture that He knew was coming but He chose to anyway.
Marriage is no place for selfishness.
The sacrificial love of marriage is an imitation of the love that Jesus displayed for us when He died on the cross.
Heidirn
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