7 Marriage Tips From 1 Corinthians

I will raise my hand super high that my marriage is NOT perfect. And, in case you haven’t heard this, let me be first to tell you, NO ONES is. It is so easy to browse Instagram or Facebook and see the “good”. You see the smiles, you see the happy family pictures, you see the good. People rarely post their fights, their struggles, or their bad days. So, while reading this, know that you are not alone. My prayer is that you would actively fight for your marriage and pray continually for one another. Here are a few Marriage Tips I have complied from 1 Corinthians:

Have Patience

Patience can be a hard thing. You sit in traffic, you wait in lines, you wait on the phone…. its takes patience. Your spouse leaves the dishes in the sink, you leave toothpaste on the mirror… its takes patience. Always practice and pray for patience with each other.

Love is patient.. – 1 Corinthians 13:4 

Be Kind

I know that this might sound basic, but its so basic that we can forget to be intentionally kind. By this I mean,  have your spouses coffee ready for them, make the bed, pick up their favorite candy on the way home.. do initially kind things for them throughout the day. Also, seek to be kind with your words. Having a patient and kind attitude can do so much throughout your day. Choose kindness.

Love is kind.. – 1 Corinthians 13:4 

Don’t Compare

I slightly mentioned above that comparison is a huge struggle today that I feel social media makes even easier. When comparison sneaks into a marriage, it can be very hard to see any good. Be mindful of this and put things in place to combat comparison. If you feel like you are struggling with the comparison, check out this post on 4 Ways To Combat Comparison in Marriage.

Love does not envy… – 1 Corinthians 13:4

Throw Pride Away

Pride can be harsh. Pride can be ugly. Pride can be hard. Pride can make reconciliation hard or nearly impossible. Pride gets in the way. Leave no room for pride in your marriage. Instead, clothe your marriage in GRACE and humility. You are on the same team. Be quick to listen and apologize if necessary.

Love does not boast, it is not proud. – 1 Corinthians 13:4

Serve Each Other

Serve one another. I cannot stress this enough. Pay attention to your spouse and their needs. If they have had a long day, ensure dinner is ready and the house is peaceful when they get home. You could even offer a back massage or a fun movie. Serving one another is one of the best things you could do for your marriage because you put your partner first. Value them above yourself. Here are 20 Ways To Serve Your Spouse.

Love is not self-seeking – 1 Corinthians 13:5

Keep a Soft Heart

When people ask me for marriage advice, the two biggest things I say are prayer and keeping a soft heart. I think it can be very easy to become hardened, so I always pray for a soft heart. We know that through our relationship with Christ, we are already forgiven. He has taken care of our biggest worry and condition, our sin. Once we accept Christ as our savior, he instantly forgives all of our past and future sins, because of His work on the cross. Therefore, he tells us: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) This is a huge statement. Think about this in terms of how Christ treats you. In your mind, have you already forgiven your spouse for a fight you will have next week? Honestly, probably not. We tend to think in the moment instead of focusing on being kind to one another and forgiving each other in advance. It is a lot harder to get in arguments or do hurtful things if you are focusing on having a soft heart.

Love is not easily angered – 1 Corinthians 13:5

Keep No Record Of Wrongs

Many experts agree that a way to keep a healthy and strong relationship is to avoid phrases like “you always..”, “you never…”, or “I can’t believe you did this again..” Love releases past mistakes and genuinely forgives. This gives you so much freedom in your relationship. Don’t keep track of your spouses offences or label them for their mistakes. God loves you and keeps no record of your confessed wrongs.

Love keeps no record of wrongs – 1 Corinthians 13:5

Above all, PRAY. Pray daily for your marriage. Pray for all of these things for your marriage (kindness, patience, soft heart…). Never stop praying. Life can be hard, marriage can be hard, but with God, you can prosper. God is bigger than your struggles. He already has you and your marriage in the palm of His hand. Rely on Him.