FAITH :: cure

When I did a poll a few days ago, 77% of you voted that you are more surrounded by negative marriage talk as opposed to positive.

I figured the stats would go that route, just mainly because of the culture we live in today, and the divorce rate.

So my next devotional focus was an easy choice. Because of those poll results. But also because there is always room for improvement in my own marriage.

We all have gaps in our ability to give and receive love. On our own, we’re all missing something.

Gaps. I have so many gaps. I’m selfish. I’m impatient. I seek perfection. I have expectations much to high. And I expect my mind to be read! I am woman after all. 😉

Instead of filling these gaps with God’s grace, I do the human thing. The easy thing. I seek superficial, earthly outlets for resolution.

Dress right, eat right, act right, speak right, impress the right person, and then you’ll have love – you’ll be loved.

Sound familiar? If I dress like that perfect wife I see on TV or Instagram. If I cook his favorite meal. If I lose those ten pounds. If I spew words of love and encouragement morning and night. I’ll be loved.

And of course all these acts are ways to show love. But they’re only Band-Aids if my heart isn’t in the right place. And for so long in our marriage, my heart hasn’t been in the right place.

We’ve been taking painkillers but what we desperately need are the hands of a skilled heart surgeon. In other words, we need Jesus. 

I so often try to solve problems in my marriage alone. Today’s read was a great reminder that I need to put God first in our marriage. To let Jesus lead me by his examples. To have patience, to serve, to show unconditional love, to be humble, to forgive and show grace.

It’s not fair to ask my husband for these things if I’m not doing the same.

xo

Amy

Link to Fierce Marriage Devotional Series, click here.