Your marriage is the most important relationship in your life, second only to your relationship with God. Are you looking for ways to enhance your marriage? Here are five ways to bless your spouse every day.
1) Pray for your spouse
Nothing compares to the benefits that God can give to your marriage. We are limited in our capacities and abilities, and coming to the Lord for help in strengthening and improving your marriage will greatly help.
Praying for your spouse opens the door for God to move in your marriage in ways you never thought possible. Pray for anything that pertains to your spouse, including their salvation and sanctification, relationship with God, career, health, and joy.
2) Look for ways to serve them
Husbands are admonished to love their wives as Christ loved the church (see Ephesians 5:25). Christ Jesus let go of His own comfort as a limitless God and became a normal human, complete with all the discomfort that it brings.
In the same way, we should be willing to let go of our comfort once in a while to serve our spouses. Give them a little rub in the back or a foot massage after a long day. Offer to do the dishes or the laundry at the weekends. Take the trash out without being asked, whatever it is you know they find burdensome. If you have kids, offer to watch over them so that your husband or wife can have some time to rest.
3) Speak well of your spouse
Issues between spouses are best kept private. Of course, disagreements will come to your marriage every now and then, but that is not a reason for you to speak ill of your husband or wife in front of others.
Slander won't do your marriage any good. Speaking well of your spouse in front of your friends or family does not only help improve the relationship between them, but it also helps you focus on the right stuff. Your spouse is a blessing to you, and speaking well of them helps keep your eyes on that fact.
4) Be patient
Your spouse, no matter how "perfect" they are to you, has some imperfections. Some mistakes are inevitable, and disappointments are sure to come. Here is where your love will be tested.
Being patient with your spouse's imperfections will do both of you good. Jesus said "freely you have received, freely give" (see Matthew 10:8). We should extend grace to our spouses like how God was gracious to us.
5) Speak blessing to your spouse
In Jewish culture, fathers speak blessing to their children weekly. Speaking blessing over your spouse will do them good. Proverbs 18:21 says "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Speak life to your spouse daily. In a world full of negativity - and often negative, critical words - they will feel immeasurably valued when throw a kind, God-inspired word their way.
