Topic — Love: A Principal Ingredient in Marriage (Part 4)
Dear Reader,
For the past few weeks, we have been looking at love and marriage. We have seen God’s involvement in the marriage institution and love as the first principle of marriage. Last week, I taught you mutual submission in love. To conclude this series, I will be showing you some of the ways you can increase your love for your mate.
Communicate effectively
Effective communication is the basis for a fruitful and lasting relationship. Lack of effective communication is the reason for so much tension in many marriages and homes. It can be said to be the “mortar” that cements the marital relationship. A wise man said, “If you talk together, you stay together”, and I believe it is very true. You know, marriage is about living together!
Spend time together alone
This issue is time — who gets it? How we spend our time reveals what is really important to us. Successful couples spend time together. They pray together. They read the Bible together.
Touch each other
Successful couples touch each other. They hug, squeeze, embrace, pat, hold hands, put arms around each other, and endeavor to sit close enough to touch when sitting anywhere together.
Encourage each other with words
Encouragement is the food of the soul. We all need to be lifted up when we are blue, but the successful couples go another step –they create a positive environment. They verbally affirm each other at every opportunity. They try to catch each other doing good things “right.” They pass along compliments others make about their mate.
Unconditionally accept each other
Unconditional love and acceptance form a crucial foundation in successful marriages. Happy couples don’t feel like they have to perform to be loved. They don’t feel like they will be rejected, if they don’t meet a set of standards. Jesus accepts us just as we are, and smart mates accept others they are too.
Be committed to each other
Successful couples have a commitment to their love life. The word “divorce” is not uttered, no matter how upset one becomes. They have an agreement on how to “fight fair” under peaceful conditions. They try to let the little irritations go. They make an active commitment to want the best for their spouse, to help him or her grow as a person. They learn to quickly give and receive forgiveness.
Laugh with each other
An antidote for boredom in marriage is lively humour. If your mate tells a joke, laugh, even if he isn’t so funny to others. Look at the funny side of life. If you are positive, looking for humour in difficult things– you will enjoy life more.
Make each other your top priority After God, but before others, make each other your top priority. Don’t let anyone — not even your children, and especially parents — come between you.
Be each other’s best friend
Happy couples commit to spend time together as friends. They share secrets with each other. They enjoy each other’s company. They realize they are the only ones who are really in this “together.” Don’t forget couples are “one flesh.”
You need the grace of God upon your life to be able to express your love to your mate. This grace can only be accessed by those who are the children of God. You become a child of God by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
“Please click HERE to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
