Your spouse is your partner in life, and they share a relationship closer to you than any other living person. The Bible recognizes the sanctity of a marriage in great detail, and it provides a wonderful outline for how husbands and wives should love, respect, teach and learn from one another.
Like anything in life, a good marriage requires hard work and constant prayer. Sometimes, our love for our spouse can be so deep that it distracts us from the love of our Lord. However, a married couple can grow closer by exploring the depths of their individual bonds with Christ together.
Spouses are urged to always be patient, gentle and support one another through everything with love (Ephesians 4:2). Let’s explore some of the Bible scriptures and prayers you can use to draw closer to your spouse and God.
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12
Married couples are not exempt from hardship or anger. In fact, it is healthy in many ways for a couple to express their dissatisfaction, frustration and anger toward one another. When this is done in a biblical way, you can not only grow closer together but find a house of safety in your relationship. Leaning on one another during hard times, especially when those difficulties are caused by one another, teaches you patience and the power of love.
Love is the heart of everything. When you are angry with your spouse, you do not have to pretend that everything is fine, but you should handle your feelings with love. If you reacted from a place of love rather than entitlement or resentment, how could you change? Imagine being able to get through things together rather than feel like you’re pitted against one another in a battle to prove who is right.
The next time you are struggling in your marriage, turn your attention to the Lord and pray for the patience and strength to act from the love He taught you first, not the temporary heat of your anger.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)
Your husband or wife is a part of you; together, you each form one beautiful union that can only go stronger through the adversities you surmount and love you share. When you both said “I do,” you became one (Matthew 19:6). Be mindful of moments in life that draw you away from your spouse, as these temptations and distractions can also cause you to draw away from the Lord.
Our marriages are direct expressions of our relationship with God; if your union is causing you to reject your partner, are you also rejecting the Lord? Consider how Jesus loves you and your spouse. Always allow that love to bring you closer to your husband or wife , even more so when you feel the temptation to turn away or act more in your own self-interest.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:12)
This verse from the Book of John speaks to the soul of marriage; the love you express to your husband or wife is the love of God. When they express their own love, it is not only their affection but the love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit coming alive and reaching out to you.
When you think about how the Bible can impact your marriage, you must also consider how it affects your daily deeds and mindset. The choices you make toward your spouse reflect how alive the presence of God is within you. By focusing on this, you can not only feel closer to the Lord through your marriage but also be a more patient, loving and attentive spouse.
A Prayer for Your Spouse
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for bringing my spouse into my life. I am grateful every day for the beauty, love and honor that they bring. Father, I ask that you watch over them every day, protect their health and help them grow closer to you. I pray that the two of us may learn to love each other more by loving you together. I wish to love as you love us.
God, please give my spouse the confidence they need to overcome what troubles them, and the knowledge to see your will and wisdom in their choices. If they struggle, please bring them the peace and trust in you that they need to find comfort and make the right decision.
Thank you for the blessing of my family, and the loving bond that I get to experience every day with my partner. Please bless them and guide them, tend to any wounds on their heart that I cannot mend, and help me uplift them through both my own strength and yours. Amen.