Read

Romans 12:10, “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-5, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”

Think

If we were to get a sneak peek into the average home, we wouldn’t always like what we see. We want to see relationships that reflect joy, camaraderie, love, and honor. Too often, the opposite is true. Pull back the curtain and see a couple that has allowed distance between them to creep in. It begins small with no acknowledgment when they walk through the door after work. After dinner, the couple is completely absorbed in their own social media accounts. Intimacy is a distant memory, and kind words are replaced with brief, clipped responses.

How does this cold chill happen within marriage? Familiarity sets in, and we begin to take our spouse for granted. Busyness becomes a badge of honor, and we get so focused on our own schedule and needs we simply forget to make them a priority. But this doesn’t have to happen!

If this seems familiar to you, it’s time to reengage in your own home. Don’t allow life to cause marital drift. Work through stress together, and don’t allow overpacked schedules to overcrowd your marriage. Practice the following “Knows and No’s” to get your relationship back on track:

• Know when your spouse needs attention
• No to showing the pet more attention
• Know the importance of having meaningful, intimate conversations
• No to having technology in the bedroom
• Know to compliment your spouse daily
• No to speaking about your spouse negatively or critically

Let’s get back to the basics of love. Approach your marriage with honor, respect, and kindness. Experience the difference it will make in your relationship and home!

Act

Competition can be a good thing. Today, compete with your spouse in various ways of honoring one another. Be patient and kind, be genuinely interested in each other’s thoughts. Be each other’s biggest fan. Discover what a difference respectful words and actions can make in each other’s daily lives and your relationship.

Pray

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the loving relationships I have in my life. Help me not take them for granted, but instead honor them with my words and actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.