6 Prayers for Engaged Couples 預覽

Gratitude

Some of us are optimists and some of us are pessimists. Some of us can be both at different times. No matter which describes you, gratitude is essential for your relationship and your life.

In our marriage, Nancy can sometimes take the pessimistic role. She would call it realistic. In truth, she probably feels she needs to take that role sometimes to bring balance in our marriage because she is married to an eternal optimist. I can find a silver lining in the nastiest dark cloud you have ever seen. Yet, with these differences, we both have seen the difference gratitude makes in our lives and our marriage.

Don’t lose sight of all you have to be grateful for both individually and together. When we look to God and remember the unshakable hope we have in Him, the earthly things that might bring us down can seem less important. Keeping our eyes on Him helps us cultivate gratitude and reverence for His might and His mercy. Every day that He gives us life and breath, we have something to be thankful for.

I keep a gratitude list in my daily journal so I can read it and be grateful every day. In our prayer time together, Nancy and I always thank God for the many things that He has given us and done for us. I want to challenge you to both make your personal gratitude lists and then to make one together. Over the years of your marriage, continue to add to your lists.

Prayer:

Lord, we want grateful hearts. Permit us to see new things to be thankful for. Grow us in the ways of gratitude. Help us to be thankful for each other and to express our gratitude for each other. May we not take each other for granted but rather express thankfulness to each other often. May we not take the lives You have given us for granted, but rather be a couple that is marked by thankfulness. Amen!