7 Ways to Prepare Your Heart for MarriagePrimjer

Practice Selflessness

As Christians, we have the greatest example of unselfishness that ever walked this earth. We have Jesus. His entire life was spent loving others, serving, and then sacrificing by giving the ultimate sacrifice of His life.

I know that none of us can be Jesus, but that is not a reason to lower the standard. He is our model, and the good news is that as we pursue being like Him, He is there to pick us up when we fall.

So, where do you begin? Start with empathy. What does your future spouse need? Consider those needs as important as your own needs (Phillippians 2:3-4). Ephesians 5 shows us a picture of Jesus caring for the church as a husband for his bride, “No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.” We are to look out for our spouses and care for them as for ourselves. What are their feelings and emotions? How can you come alongside them? Treat them as you’d want to be treated (Luke 6:31).

Daily, ask your spouse how you can help them. Romans 12:10 encourages us to “outdo one another in showing honor.” Pray every day that God will help you be the spouse that He designed you to be. At the end of the day, you can say, “God, with your help, I did a pretty good job serving and sacrificing for my spouse today,” or you may say, “God, today I blew it. I need your grace and forgiveness. Thank you that tomorrow is a new day for me to serve and sacrifice for my spouse and honor You.”

What if you and your future spouse in marriage both sought God like that every day? Can you even imagine the marriage you would have?

Next Steps:

• What does your future spouse need from you? How can you best come alongside them?
• Pray every day that God will help you be the spouse that He designed you to be.