During the month of November, it has become a regular practice on social media to post something we are thankful for every day. People post about all types of things from a job, to a city, to a season or type of weather.
One year we did a ‘Thanksgiving Tree’ and we had our kids write a little note about things they were thankful for each day. They wrote about a toy, their bed, a bike, and then finally their family. Glad we made the list!
One thing we need to be reminded of in this season of giving thanks is to thank God for our spouse. That’s right, the person who can often times be THE SOURCE of our greatest frustrations, annoyances, and even straight up fights. If we are going to experience the type of marriage God designed for us we MUST give thanks for our husband or wife.
In the book, Two Becoming One, the 2nd Faith Principle is “By faith, we must receive our spouse from God as his personal provision for our individual needs.” That is easy for some of you reading this. You really see your spouse as a gift and you have a great marriage. Others of you will read this after you just had another fight with ‘the gift’ God supposedly gave you and you can’t really see a thing to be thankful for.
Don Meredith, founder of Christian Family Life and co-author of the book, wrote the following about his relationship with his wife, Sally, after he started putting this principle into practice.
“As I began to share this truth with others I realized how great our marriage had become. What changed? God certainly didn’t. But as my faith in God grew stronger, my perception of his gift to me in my wife changed dramatically. I stopped being critical of what I perceived her weaknesses to be a started loving and accepting her as the gift she was.”
Two Becoming One - page 60
Choosing to walk by faith and be obedient to God often starts when we can’t actually SEE the things we’re believing God for. Faith is based on trust. I trust God is good, I trust His plan, and I trust His provision, even of my spouse... so I give thanks.
Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Only by walking in faith and trust with Jesus can we find the strength to rejoice always and give thanks in everything. One key here is our constant prayer life…but that’s a topic we will cover later.
For now, during this season of giving thanks, let us encourage you to prayerfully and faithfully give thanks for your spouse.
- Give thanks and recognize by faith that some of their weaknesses need the strengths you bring to the marriage.
- Give thanks and recognize that some of their strengths are exactly what your weaknesses need.
- Give thanks and recognize that some of the things that frustrate you about them God is using to build your faith and trust in Jesus.
- Give thanks and recognize that some of the trials you are walking through together are activating new strengths and gifts in you that would not have come out with another spouse.
- Give thanks and recognize that your spouse really is exactly who you need in your life for God to make you more like Jesus.
Christian Family Life is a marriage discipleship ministry. We are here to offer resources and support no matter what condition your marriage is in. Our passion is to Build, Enrich, and Reconcile Marriages. Find out more at https://www.christianfamilylife.com/
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