Do You Need a Marriage Miracle?

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own...” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Love suffers long.

What's the opposite of long-suffering?

Being short with each other, impatient, unwilling to yield, harsh, unforgiving, unwilling to be understanding.

At the heart of the issue, the problem is, people are more concerned with the love that they get, rather than the love that they give.

It's a "me" problem.

"What about me?"

The God kind of love is sacrificial—a selfless giving of oneself, for the benefit of their beloved.

Like everyone, I tend to forget what love-in-action is supposed to look like when I become self-focused. But then God has a way of pointing me back to these amazing verses in the Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13)

Love is kind.

Examine yourself... your heart. Are you treating your spouse with kindness?

The biblical definition of the word kind is:  "To show oneself useful; to act benevolently: to be kind."

Technically, kindness is a noun. It sounds weird to me, but kindness is a "thing" according to Webster's Dictionary. But you have to choose to be kind. To show yourself useful. To act benevolently.

Love is to be much more than merely a warm feeling. I would go so far to say that love is not truly love unless it is sacrificially demonstrated.

Love does not behave rudely.

Goes without saying. Just stop it.

Love does not seek its own.

If I am truly loving my wife, I am going to do everything, give everything, to benefit her, edify her, and serve her—for her best interests; not for my own. If I am truly right with God, I will have a heart that wants to give everything I am for her, not just look to get something from her.

But how much do you really see this kind of unselfish, sacrificial love being demonstrated in marriages today? Not often enough, I would say, as evidenced by the escalating divorce epidemic in America.

When I think about the sacrificial love that God wants to see demonstrated in our marriages, I think of the sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated for us—His Bride:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Do you need a marriage miracle right now?

Then be a marriage miracle. 

Whether you're a husband or a wife, be a man or woman after God's own heart and lay down your life and esteem the needs of your spouse above your own needs. Let the God-kind-of love spoken so beautifully of in 1 Corinthians 13, be a wonderful demonstration of God's love, mercy, and grace in action, in your life, and in your marriage.

However, for this to happen, there is still one all-important thing you need to do...

The only true Miracle in your marriage is Jesus. And without Him, you can accomplish nothing.

So, if you really want to be a marriage miracle, you must draw near to Jesus, spending intimate, personal time with Him, worshiping Him, praying, asking Him to make you more like Him. And you will discover, that the more quality time you spend with Him, the more He will empower you you take on His qualities.

And that is when true miracles will begin to happen in your marriage.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.