Psalm 103:1-5 tells us that God gives us many good things. Yet why do so many married couples feel their marriages are anything but good?
Once the experience of falling in love has run its natural course, couples return to the world of reality and begin to assert themselves.
Some couples believe that the end of the in-love experience means they must either resign themselves to a life of misery with their spouse or jump ship and try again. But there is a better alternative: we can recognize the in-love experience for what it was - a temporary emotional high - and pursue “real love” with our spouses.
That kind of love involves an act of the will and requires discipline. Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love but to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct. We need to be loved by someone who chooses to love us, who sees in us something worth loving.
Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. Talk to God about the state of your marriage. Share your thoughts and concerns about the end of your in-love experience with Him. Ask Him to help you choose to love your spouse.
If you have more time, discuss together or reflect on these questions:
What percentage of couples would avoid marriage if they knew how difficult it can be? Explain.
Where are you and your spouse on the "in love" timeline? How do you feel about that?
Give an example of how you choose to love your spouse.
Consider these passages for further study on Love:
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
Psalm 103:1-5 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 Who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
This helps you analyze the good, the bad, and the ugly part of love in your relationship. Know what holds you together and will stand fast for the better. Evaluate what you always need to do to make it better.