Serving your spouse isn’t always easy. I know. It can be tough. I have a friend. He’s a great guy. He’d give you the shirt off his back. If something in your house broke, he’d be there in an hour and would fix it. He’s always serving others well. But, sadly, he didn’t serve his spouse so well. He was so much more responsive to others than his own wife.
His friends felt loved. His wife felt unloved. He is now divorced.
Serve your spouse—now.
It’s important we prioritize serving our spouse over all others.
There was a time where I would quickly jump on something and help someone else, but a project for my wife could sit for months. When your spouse asks you to do something, instantly move it to the top of the to do list. It sends the right message…the message that you are the most important relationship in my life.
Serve your spouse—now. As in, NOW.
Accomplish tasks based on your spouse’s perceived importance and not according to your list of priorities. Last night, Marilyn asked me to do something. I said “Sure, I’ll do it.” Then, I just started to move on with what I was doing. I was convicted to stop what I was doing, prioritize her, and get it accomplished.
I was again convicted this morning. Marilyn has been asking that a project around our house be done for months. Today, I prioritized it and someone is coming to do it this afternoon.
May your spouse know their place by how responsive you are. If you prioritize serving your spouse over others and are prompt in doing what is asked, it will do wanders for your marriage.
Ask yourself: what have you been putting off?
So, ask yourself: are there things my spouse has asked me to do that I have put off for too long? Do I prioritize serving my spouse over serving my friends and extended family? Do I serve my spouse according to how I prioritize the task or by how he or she prioritizes it?
Grace Marriage Mission.
A good practice is to list one or two things a day to bless your spouse and get them done. Typically, it won’t take more than 15-30 minutes, but this intentionality will bring life to you and your marriage.
Brad Rhoads is Co-Founder of Grace Marriage and this article is part of a monthly column Brad writes for the Messenger-Inquirer Newspaper.
Brad Rhoads is co-founder of Grace Marriage.