Depression, discouragement, or moodiness happens to everyone at one point or another. As a couple, you are not also immune to this. Life happens and a lot of things have the potential of getting us down emotionally.
Your spouse will not have the solution to the problem but one of the dividends of a good marriage is having someone who can be a source of succor or comfort at such times.
We should also note that your spouse may not be an expert yet at knowing the right words or actions to take that will make you feel better at such times.
You need to learn to be patient with them. It may even be possible your spouse is also dealing with another form of pressure.
That is why it is good that each couple have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is the ultimate comfort who knows us better than ourselves. He will not only comfort us, he will strengthen us and give us joy and gladness for our depression.
The power of God’s word is such that His words become the rejoicing of our hearts.
However, we still need to be there for one another. We need to be so full or filled with the Holy Spirit that we are able to speak into the lives of each other at such times.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
Some temperaments are more prone to discouragement than others, but whichever way, we must be a source of strength and encouragement to our spouse.
Here are few ways to be a source of encouragement to your spouse
1. Love your spouse genuinely I believe to be a source of encouragement to your spouse you have to have a deep and genuine love for them, where you almost cannot bear to see them hurting or going through pain. It is this compassion that helps you to be a source of genuine comfort to your spouse, where the love of God is shed abroad in your heart.
2. Have daily communion with the Holy Spirit What this does is that you are well equipped. He is the source of strength. The strength needed daily is gotten in the place of communion with the Holy Spirit.
May God bless our marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have victory over depression
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray against the spirit of depression
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Resist everything that triggers negative thoughts
Take a look at your family. Find out the greatest source of income for your family. Focus on it and add your strength to that.
Don’t get competitive with yourselves, you are one! A competitive heart will hinder your prayers.
Love each other genuinely and be committed to your spouse’s success. The success of the husband belongs to the wife and vice versa.
It is so important that you rally around yourselves.
Trying to be successful in other to “show” your spouse is nothing but yielding to the flesh.
Oh, Pastor, what am I supposed to do? You sure don’t know my spouse! Well, my dear, you are supposed to walk in love.
Love will always bring victory.
Be committed to doing it in God’s way.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
Obviously, some things did not work beforehand. Some ways of doing things did not work. They are not likely to work this time as well. So, you need to make changes. Adjustments.
What is family altar like? Do you pray together daily? It’s so important. Those are some changes you need to make.
Take a look at your family. Make those changes and expect the best from God.
I pray that every marital storm be abated in Jesus’ name.
God will extend peace to you like a river in Jesus’ name.
May God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR TODAY The Lord is our strength
PRAYER FOR TODAY Father teach us to walk in love
THOUGHT OF THE DAY By their fruits, ye shall know them.
ACTION PLAN OF TODAY Make a decision to leave old unprofitable habits today.
Financial Areas To Talk About In Marriage. This article is continued from yesterday…
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Ecc 10:19
So let’s talk about few areas we can discuss with our spouse about our finances
1. Being transparent about our income. Be as open and sincere as possible about letting your spouse know about our income.
2. Discuss paying of tithe. Let it be an established rule in your home.
3. Discuss your family budget Have a budget your home and family runs on. Let every single aspect of your marriage be under a budget. The kids, parents, projects…etc
4. Discuss savings
5. Discuss how to improve and make more money, having multiple streams of income.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
6. Discuss investments. In the parable of the talent, the servant that invested his master’s money was commended. Get information about investment opportunities, google about money-making ideas.
7. Discuss your needs When a woman’s needs are not met, she has a tendency of trying to sort herself.
8. Discuss contentment This is very important. We are believers and our lives must be guided by scripture. Our lives do not consist of what we have. Let your spouse know that money is not everything. We have to learn to trust in God and not in riches. Let our driving force not be money but God, His kingdom, and using whatever we have for His glory.
God bless our marriages.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY We have money. Money doesn’t have us. We are rich.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give us the wisdom to know how to multiply whatever amount of money we have in Jesus’ name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Ecc 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Discuss the points with your spouse
We know money is a major part of our lives as married couples. In fact, we make about 70% of our decision based on finances.
The house we live in, the area we stay, how many kids we have, what school they go, the type of clothes they wear, the type of food they eat, how comfortable the house we live in is, do we rent an apartment or buy one, what work we do, where we work, what part of the country we live in, what type of friends we have, the type of car(s) we have, what church we attend, our spiritual level…and it goes on and on.
Money is so important that it appears in the Bible 123 times.
The only thing that can compete with God in our hearts is mammon or finances. Every sin of covetousness especially of material things is traceable to Financial issues.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals kindly go HERE
Most adulteries and fornications are basically traceable to money. For example, a beautiful lady or handsome guy who you get attracted to is attractive because she/he can afford expensive things that make her/him beautiful.
No one is attracted to an ugly and poor fellow.
Money is a defence. It can defend our spouse and marriage from falling if properly used
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Ecc 7:12 [KJV]
So, as couples, it is important we talk about finances and guard against its adverse effect on our marriage. We can make money serve us at whatever level we are in. Finances will answer and solve the majority of our marital problems.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Ecc 10:19 [KJV]
Tomorrow, I will show you some pertinent areas to discuss the issue of money with your spouse.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY We have money. Money doesn’t have us. We are rich.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give us the wisdom to know how to multiply whatever amount of money we have in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Ecc 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Discuss the points with your spouse
The third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit was promised to us believers as Jesus was ascending.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
He is supposed to comfort us. The comforter lives in us forever. He is not leaving us, He is in us to stay. He is not planning to go anywhere now, tomorrow, or in the nearest future. He is to comfort you in your marriage. There are times we need the comfort of the Holy Spirit, not that of our spouse.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
There are so many things we need to know about our marriage. There are things about yourself first of all you don’t even know. It takes the Holy Spirit to teach you about yourself.
As a wife, there are some times we are just complicated because of our make-up. Sometimes we are just so emotional, we wonder what’s wrong with us. Nothing is wrong, we are just unique and we need to be uniquely understood.
The Holy Spirit was there when God was creating us so He knows.
We need to understand our spouses. Without understanding our spouse, quarrels will be the order of the day. Have you ever had a misunderstanding with your spouse? Both of you are seeing things from two different perspectives and each is sure they are right. You need to know the different sides and the complex temperament of your spouse. It takes the Holy Spirit to do this job.
The institution of marriage itself needs to be understood. Marriage is so dynamic, so complex, so unique, so diversely different. It takes the Holy Spirit to help us steer the course. He wants to help us and teach us and show us how things will work in our marriage.
The most important key in our relationship with the Holy Spirit is not having Him but allowing Him to fulfill His Ministry in our lives and marriage. Most of us have the gift of the Spirit, but how many of us have a working relationship and fellowship with His person? Until we have this relationship we cannot benefit from what He has to offer.
My prayer is that we develop this relationship with the precious Holy Spirit, Amen.
God bless your marriage.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I love the Holy Spirit and I enjoy fellowship with him.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Holy Spirit, let me know you in Jesus name
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY I will no longer ignore God’s Spirit.