THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR MARRIAGE
How many times have you heard or read some kind of advertisement implying “this product will change your life”? Almost every day, right? Whether you see it online, or TV, some new supplement, or tech device, strongly implies you can’t live without it, this thing will change your life!
Well guess what? I make you this promise—This Will Change Your Marriage—as soon as you put it into practice.
I woke up Thanksgiving morning and opened my email to find a note from my wife. “Mark, would you peel the potatoes and cut them up for me to fix mashed potatoes? My shoulder is bothering me and I need help.” I had a choice, right then and there, of how I would respond. Would I mention my own painful arm that I must use to peel and cut them, and excuse myself? Would I express a begrudging attitude of ok, but I don’t really want to? Or would I respond with those magic words—Sure, I’d be glad to?
I was immediately reminded of the illuminating truth, God loves a cheerful giver! God does not want me to give begrudgingly. God does not want me to give sorrowfully. God does not want me to give reluctantly. God does not want me to give out of a sense of duty. God wants me to give willingly, with a cheerful attitude of heart.
This spirit, this practice, will change your entire marriage. Imagine bringing this attitude to your marriage? Imagine responding this way to the requests your spouse makes of you? Imagine what it would be like to simply bring a cheerful, heart attitude of giving to each request your spouse makes of you, or you make of them? How would it make you feel if this was the attitude and spirit you heard back from your mate when you made a request of them?
Suppose what your mate asks for isn’t possible at the moment they ask it. We can still respond with a cheerful attitude about it, can’t we? Can’t we let them know, while I am not able to right now, I will be glad to do it when I am able? And in truth, many things they ask us, we are certainly able to do right away. So imagine how this spirit—Sure, I’d be glad to, will change your marriage if you put it into practice? Imagine bringing this attitude to the way you serve them even when they don’t ask you for anything? Simply grab the vacuum and do the house with a cheerful, willing attitude. Empty the trash with a cheerful, willing attitude. Clean the bathroom with a cheerful, willing attitude. Be intimate with a cheerful, willing attitude.
My wife and I sincerely strive to cultivate this attitude towards each other. It’s made a tremendous difference in our 45 year marriage. Obviously, we aren’t perfect. We have our failures. But by and large this is the spirit we bring to our marriage. It’s made our marriage a wonderful place to live!
God loves a cheerful, willing giver! I guarantee you, your spouse will too!
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
