A Grateful Wife

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Not every relationship is perfect. Most are riddled with cracks, nooks, gaps, and crannies. In other words, not all of our desires are going to be met 100% of the time. We are all fallen beings in need of a Savior, unable to love perfectly. In learning to be grateful for the relationship we have and dwell on the inherent good qualities of our spouse instead of parking our minds on all that our relationship is not, we must cultivate content hearts that are satisfied in Christ instead of hearts that are always grasping. 

Proverbs presents an interesting parable: “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’" (Proverbs 30:15-16) I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be like the leech’s two daughters, constantly wanting more. I want to live a full life that is altogether thankful—a life of appreciation and abundance in recognizing my blessings daily. I want to be joyful always and give thanks in all circumstances, as 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and 18 implore. In order to do so, I must pray continually and abide in the Spirit. I must fan the flames of Jesus Christ inside of me through steadfast obedience to God’s Word and Will, leaning in and listening to the whispers of the Holy Spirit throughout the day. 

To listen and obey is to live a life of love. To listen and to obey is to give thanks for God’s love and Christ's sacrifice. To listen and obey is to fan the Holy Spirit into flames. To listen and obey looks a lot like loving our spouses, dwelling on the positives in our marriages, and giving thanks even when life does not look or feel perfect.

Gratitude in marriage is a series of choices. It is choosing grace over expectation or perfection, thanksgiving over complaining, positivity over pessimism, humility over vanity, and prayer over worry, fret, or fear. It is choosing to look to the light of Christ in everyday life, to follow the sunshine of God’s goodness. Like a big giant sunflower, persisting to turn its face toward the sun, we too must cognizantly focus on our blessings. We must tune our attention toward the Lord and give thanks. We must praise His Holy Name in conversation and in our hearts. We must turn our faces to the light of his goodness in our daily lives, in our marriages.

Grow in Gratitude:

• Challenge: Gratitude is a heart posture of humility and remembrance of Christ Jesus. It is clinging to our reason for a lifestyle of praise and appreciation: God is good. God is love. God has won. Without using a dictionary, how would you describe gratitude?

• Consider: Research shows that when we write down our blessings consistently, our outlook on life becomes more positive. Feel free to elaborate on your responses or keep them brief: What are three to five things you are thankful for right now/today/this week? Focus on people, places, events, memories, objects, God’s promises from scripture, God’s character, or things that happened during the day. Write them down.

• Pray: Pray the following: God, thank you for my husband and your presence in my life. Holy Spirit, meet me in the margins of today's devotion and help me glean wisdom, insight, and inspiration from its words. God, do the transformative work that only you can do in my soul. Create in me a satisfied heart. In Jesus' name, amen.