In today’s devotional,we’re looking at how we as couples can respond to God’s training. Marriage is an institution, the first institution God created.
In institutions, we go to learn. In effect, marriage is a school, a major one at that.
It is probably the only institution where you get your certificate before the learning begins. On the wedding day, you get to receive your wedding certificate, and then the real school begins.
Especially as it concerns male and female differences, a lot of couples are in for a rude shock.
There will be mistakes that are done in marriage as a result of our opinions, as a result of habits, as a result of mindsets.
God in His wisdom, will start dislodging those mindsets through various circumstances and happenstances.
Your best bet will be to listen and learn from what God is trying to say.
For you to hear God and learn from the discipline, you need to have an understanding that God’s discipline is not punishment, but training.
When you see it as training, then the discipline of God becomes effective in your life.
See what the Bible says
It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training,
Heb 12:6 – 7 (MSG)
I love what it says. The one that God loves is the one that He disciplines. And the Message Translation says God is simply educating you.
This education will advance your marriage and give you the needed lessons to move higher in your marriage.
Don’t drop out of it. Stay with it and learn all you can learn.
As you cooperate with God’s discipline as husband and wife, you will see your marriage get better in God and fulfilling God’s plan for you as a couple.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I respond well to God’s training
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray for grace to receive the training with a humble heart.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Go through the training patiently
It is often said that a friend in need is a friend indeed. The value of friendship is known in hard and tough times. Nothing is as soothing as when a friend speaks to you in your down moments. When his or her words are like cold water to a thirsty soul.
If the effect of a friend could be that felt, how much more is the effect of a spouse. Of course, our spouse is supposed to be our best friend with who we are vulnerable, with who we can share the joy and the privilege of being naked and not ashamed.
I think every spouse should ask themselves this question. “Am I a friend to my spouse?” “Can my spouse confidently say, he/she can find a friend in me?” “Does my spouse find me easy to talk with?”
Every spouse should ask these soul-searching questions and try to find answers to these questions.
It is easier to point accusing fingers at your spouse. Quit playing the blame game and face reality, walk and work together.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Amos 3:3 KJV
Come in agreement with each other. Forgive every hurt and pain. For marriage is where we hurt deeply.
Some spouses are so hurt they vowed never to forgive. If you have any knotty situation, talk things over with your mentors. Sometimes, the issues in marriage require the authority of someone higher than you. Just a word, a prayer or a prophetic utterance can solve such issues.
Some people have destroyed their marriage because of staying on their viewpoint of being right. In marriage, it is not always about who is right or wrong, but our willingness to allow God’s purpose to be done.
Jesus, our model didn’t insist on being right. He willingly suffered for us, the righteous for the unrighteous. He loved us while we were yet sinners and died for us so we can be made sons of God.
The mandate on our marriage must be fulfilled. Let’s get over all forms of bitterness, malice, and unforgiveness. These are toxic to our being best of friends with our spouse.
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 KJV
This scripture is very profound. You must show yourself friendly to have your spouse as your friend.
The question is some of us don’t even know to be friends. We must aim at being friends with our spouses. I believe the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth and revelation will help us if we ask Him to.
Some ways to being friends with your spouse
1. Maintaining the right attitude and positive disposition is important. 2. Kind words and loving words. Every human being responds to love. 3. Believing the best of each other. 4. Being fun to be with. 5. Not pointing attention to the weak areas of your spouse. 6. Encouraging our spouse. 7. Avoiding criticism, accusation, and blaming. 8. Being very understanding.
These are few tips for being there for your spouse.
God help us indeed.
May God bless our marriage!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY My marriage is blessed.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help me to be there for my spouse always.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Prov 18:24 (CEV)Some friends don’t help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Be friends with your spouse
Have you seen couples married for over 15 years? One thing that strikes you is that they begin to look alike. There’s just something that makes them closer and begins to look alike. Well, it’s not a fast and hard rule that couples who have been together for years should look alike.
I guess that is the reason why the bible says, the two shall become one flesh. I guess they truly become one flesh in the real sense of the word. The truth is that, if you want to remain close and knitted together, there are some things you should be doing on a regular basis. It keeps you together.
I would try and mention 10 of those things. You can add up to this list but just make sure in your own relationship you have found what it is that draws you closer to each other.
1. Eat together on one plate or on the dinner table. This may not be suitable for every couple. Some may not like it, but this has helped keep couples together.
2. Go to church together in the same car. It may be a time of bonding for couples who may have been busy throughout the week and have more than 1 car.
3. Go to the same church and have the same pastor and mentor. They hear and drink from the same spiritual source and hear the same instructions about fasting, giving which normally could cause discord in marriage.
4. Have same friends, go to the same functions and ceremonies together. Couples stay closer when they unwind together by having the same friends and attend parties together.
5. They sleep in the same room on the same bed. Couples are known to look alike the more they sleep together and share the same room.
6. They have regular intercourse together. This is known to bind them together and is the real thing that makes them get closer and look alike.
7. They Laugh, dance, sing and play games together. The more couples recreate together, the more the bond between them gets stronger.
8. They overcome their challenges together. When couples face problems and pass through challenging situations together, it draws them closer to each other.
9. When couples bathe together. It is a form of being naked and not ashamed, it draws couples together.
10. Study their bibles together and pray together. When couples do spiritual activities together they tend to grow fond of each other and grow to look alike.
It is like the triangle of marriage. God is at the tip or top, husband and wife are at the two sides. The more they go after God, the closer they become. The more they draw away from God, the more they grow apart.
Make God or godly principles your priority and you will grow closer as a couple.
God bless your marriage
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY As couples, we grow closer as the day goes by.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, help us to do things that will draw us closer to each other.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Gen 2:25 ‘And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.”
Its possible to enjoy your marriage. In marriage, there are pressures. Pressures of raising a family, of taking care of your spouse, of taking care of the children, of paying bills, and many more. All these are coupled with pressures from work and career. If one is not careful, marriage will be one strenuous, stressful and tiring adventure.
It is deliberately then, that you have to decide to live life to the fullest. You just have to make up your mind that in the midst of all the pressures, there will be pleasures. It is a decision to remain joyful irrespective of whatever situation you might be going through. You simply make up your mind to defuse pressures with laughter, for laughter doeth well like medicine
Pro 17:22 (MSG) A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
Having a depressing disposition, unhappy tendencies, habitual despondency, uncontrollably bad moods are enough to leave the bones tired.
Since you have to cook anyway, why not decide to cook while enjoying yourself
Since you are going to wash the car, decide to wash while having a nice time.
Since the kids would always be around and going nowhere, enjoy yourselves and let them enjoy themselves too.
Doing things grumbling, complaining, and being unhappy in marriage is self-punishment. Decide to enjoy yourselves as a couple. Satisfy each other right into the bedroom!
I pray for your marriage, God will help you indeed in Jesus name. At every point of pressure, God will bring succor, His healing balm, and restore you in Jesus name.
Your marriage is blessed!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I choose to enjoy my marriage
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, take away every foolishness from our home
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Php 1:9 (KJV)And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
What do you do when things seem tough? There are times when everything just seems okay. Life is just good. You look at your bank account and smile. There are cars in the garage. The children are doing well, nice school. Your spouse is just so nice. The money keeps rolling into your account. No stress.
During weekends you have all the time with your family. During holidays, you and the family get to travel out of the country.
Your wife comes home on time, prepares a good meal. Your house is really yours and it is fine. It has all things set. The generator, fridge, freezer, microwave oven, dishwasher, washing machine, everything is set.
You look around and you are so grateful and fulfilled, not asking for anything. This looks like that perfect life everybody prays for. Everything is just working right. You have no prayer points except that God should bless your friends and neighbors.
Well, many of us are not there yet. In fact, many are still far from there. Many are at the stage where they are trusting God, praying to God for one thing or another, where they don’t have it all together. In fact, they are at the opposite of life is good.
At such times, one has to hold on, be patient, Be thankful and grateful, keep at what you know works, and give God praise. Be a God praiser. Of all the things that would have made you complain, praise God instead.
Turn it into a praise report. Let your voice be loud and clear in praises. It is when joy withers that prosperity and testimony withers.
When as a married couple, your home seems like nothing is happening. It’s time to turn on the volume of your praise and thanksgiving.
Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, he was met with an impossible situation. He gave thanks and rejoiced. In the feeding of the 4,000 where he only had a lad’s supper, he gave thanks.
When the going gets rough, it’s time to get to thanks and praise. You have enough to complain about. Things are not working but give thanks. When you give thanks, things will begin to open up and yield their abundance.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I give thanks, no matter what happens.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, let me see that despite every thing you can work a miracle of provision
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Php 4:19 (KJV) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Be thankful. Be praise-ful
