Thursday, April 19~
I'm almost always in a book or Bible study of some sort. Right now we're reading one of Lysa TerKeurst's. She wrote this fantastic marriage relationship inventory that really grabbed my attention! I have to share it.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Assessment
Am I patient with my spouse? (I am flexible and understanding.) EPHESIANS 4:2-3
Am I kind to my spouse? (I am kind in thought, words, and actions toward them.) EPHESIANS 4:31-32
Am I supportive (not envious) with my spouse? (I do not keep score when I feel I do more.) JAMES 3:16-18
Am I encouraging (not boastful) to my spouse? (I do not brag about my accomplishments while downplaying theirs.) HEBREWS 3:13
Am I humble (not proud) with my spouse? (I do not think my agenda is more important than my spouse’s agenda.) 1 PETER 5:6
Am I gracious (not rude) to my spouse? (I build up my spouse with my words spoken in private and public.) EPHESIANS 4:29
Am I selfless (not self-seeking) with my spouse? (I focus on my spouse’s needs and wants and balance them with my own.) PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4
Am I self-controlled (not easily angered) with my spouse? (I do not have a short fuse or quick temper.) PROVERBS 15:1
Am I able to forgive and let go (keeping no record of wrongs) with my spouse’s shortcomings? (I do not use my spouse’s past shortcomings as ammunition in today’s disagreements or allow these things to taint our communication today.) COLOSSIANS3:12-14
Do I delight in being faithful to God (not delighting in evil)? (I seek to live a pure life and choose not to flirt with sin.) EPHESIANS 4:1
Do I rejoice with the truth? (I actively pursue God’s truth over Satan’s lies.) JOHN 8:31-32
Do I seek to protect my spouse? (I fill in the gaps where they feel weak and
vulnerable.) 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11
Do I trust my spouse? (I give my spouse the benefit of the doubt.) 1 PETER 3:8
Do I keep hope alive in my marriage? (I trust God with “our” future, not “my” future.) JEREMIAH 29:11
Do I persevere in my marriage? (I look for solutions to problems rather than look for a way out.) MATTHEW 5:33
Am I devoted to the permanence of our marriage? (I believe that divorce is not an option for us.) MALACHI 2:16
In the scramble of handling all the details of a life full of little people, romance and love can sometimes take a backseat. We have to not only be intentional with our active love, but also be intentional about keeping our love fresh, exciting, and fun. You can’t compare your circumstances and relationship with others; that will only serve to drain and discourage you.
Keep your focus on making your marriage the best it can be. It is what you put into your marriage that you’ll be able to pull out of your marriage. The grass isn’t greener on the other side; it is greener where you water and fertilize it. -Lysa TerKeurst
