Most of us seem to think that the quality of our marriage depends solely on our relationships with our spouse. This is a logical thought because this is true for most of us. The condition of our marriage tends to go up or down depending on how well we are managing our marriage.
While obviously, the dynamics between the two of you are important, there is another relationship that matters even more—your individual relationship with God.
Quite simply, connection with God makes us better spouses. Things come out of us that can even surprise us. Things come of us that surprise our spouse. What are these things? What happens when we love God first and our spouse second?
Galatians 5:22–23 (NIV) contains a list of the fruit we bear in our lives when we Love God First. These are called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those things describe the spouse most of us want to be.
By spending time with God, just like you are doing in this very moment (well done by the way), something changes inside of you that radically impacts what comes out of you.
Putting God first allows you to love your spouse in a way you could never workday them on your own, and that helps you to become… YOUR BEST US.
Action Step
Before you reconnect at the end of the workday, pause and pray the prayer below.
Prayer
God, for the rest of this day, help me to love my spouse in ways that reflect You in me.
‘But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ‘ MATTHEW 12:28-31