Be Grateful for Your Marriage, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It - Crosswalk PLUS Marriage Devotional

Have you ever wondered why God had to command us to be grateful? It’s because gratitude is not our natural bent. Here’s what is: complaining and then reaching for more, instead of pausing to be grateful.

And we’re not alone. The Bible is filled with examples of ingratitude. Once, Jesus cleansed 10 lepers of their painful, nasty disease. In their excitement, they left without thanking Him. Finally, one leper returned to thank Jesus, but only one.

This tells me that 9 out of 10 times, I will do the same thing. 90% of the time, perhaps you will too, unless you and I choose to practice gratitude, even when we don’t feel like it.

God commands gratitude because being grateful has a positive impact on our hearts—and our marriages.

Studies show that practicing gratitude not only increases marital satisfaction, it also strengthens marriages. The more grateful you are, the better your relationship with your spouse will be. But, I need to be real here. Every marriage has struggles—including mine. And some days, being grateful is the last thing I want to be.

Perhaps I’m not alone. So to encourage more gratitude, here are 3 reasons to be grateful, even when you don’t feel like it.

1. Being grateful is good for you, personally.

Doctors have conducted numerous studies on habitually grateful people, and overall, they’re much healthier than the general population. To put it simply, gratitude is good medicine for the body.

And there’s more: gratitude is also good for the soul. Psychologists tell us that gratitude produces joy and thus, enjoyment. So in order to truly enjoy your marriage, you must first be grateful for it.

2. Being grateful is good for you, relationally.

Psychologists claim that being grateful creates positive, pro-social behavior within you. In other words, simply taking the time to be grateful every day makes you kinder, gentler—easier to live with.

But practicing gratitude affects more than just you. When you pause to thank your spouse, it makes him or her feel recognized and valued. Bottom line: grateful couples are happy couples.

3. Being grateful is good for you, spiritually.

Author Sarah Young says, “Gratitude is the love language between man and God.” Perhaps God commands our praise and thanksgiving, because gratitude draws us closer to His heart.

The Bible says: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.” Ps. 100:4 NLT

You can practice gratitude today by thinking grateful thoughts on purpose. Make a gratitude list (the prayer below can help), or take a gratitude walk. You can express appreciation to your spouse, several times during the day. And you can offer continual thanks to God.

Practicing gratitude will make today a better day. Being grateful is good for you personally, relationally, and spiritually.

A Prayer to Grow in Gratitude

Dear Lord, thank you for blessing me so much. Today, I’m grateful for:

You: You’re my treasure and my great reward (Gen 15:1). Thank you for calling me your own and letting me wear your name. What a privilege!

Faith: You are the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). Thank you for this priceless gift.

Your love: thank you for loving me today, tomorrow, and forever. (Ps. 136:1).

Life: thank you for the precious gift of waking up this morning (Ps. 139:13-14).

Material blessings: I have food to eat and clothes to wear. You are so good—I’m truly blessed!

My spouse: what a precious gift (Ecc. 4:9-12)! Thank you for giving me a partner and friend to walk beside me through life.

These 3 wonderful things about my spouse: ________, ________, _______.

Prayer:

Lord, I don’t deserve these blessings, but out of the goodness of your heart, you gave them to me anyway. Today, I praise you for being so generous! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. What physical blessings are you most grateful for today? Why? (See 1 Thess. 5:18)
2. What marital blessings are you most grateful for today? Why? (See Prov. 18:22)
3. What spiritual blessings are you most grateful for today? Why? (See Eph. 1:3-14)

May Patterson, author of the book, Seeking a Familiar Face, began writing over a decade ago in response to God’s grace. And by His grace, she now has a popular blog and has written many articles for various magazines, including Focus on the Family, Upper Room and iBelieve.com. She has also published a Bible study, A 40-Day Guide for Seeking God, and speaks at a variety of events, both nationally and internationally. Her desire is to encourage people to draw closer to God, like never before.

We hope you and your spouse are challenged and encouraged by today's devotional! For more of this premium marriage devotional, visit here.