There Is A Place In Our Hearts Reserved For Only Him.

I have learned the hard way that you can get into dangerous territory when you expect your spouse to be everything for you. The load will be too heavy to bear and will only lead to disappointment and discord.

Ruth Graham says, “It is a foolish woman who expects her husband to be to her that which only Jesus Christ Himself can be: ready to forgive, totally understanding, unendingly patient, invariably tender and loving, unfailing in every area, anticipating every need, and making more than adequate provision. Such expectations put a man under an impossible strain. The same goes for the man who expects too much from his wife.”

Our identity is not wrapped up in being someone’s husband or wife, it must first and foremost be as Children of God. Before we are someone else’s “bride” we are the bride of Christ.

“For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 CSB

When we expect all of our joy, peace, provision, fulfillment, contentment, and sense of worthiness to come from our spouse—we’ve unintentionally made an idol out of them.

We can be the hands and feet of Jesus to one another. We can portray and exhibit the goodness of God to one another. We can love one another like Christ loves the church. But we must not put all of our hope and faith and trust in one another instead of Jesus.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

- Matthew 22:37

There is a place in our hearts reserved only for God, and wrongfully putting our spouse there will only lead to suffering for both. We must keep God on the throne of our lives, being for us that which only He can be.

The love story of Jesus, dying for us while we were still sinners, is the greatest love story of them all. What if this Valentines day, we allowed God to fill us and be all that we need? It is then that we can love and give and serve one another out of the overflow. And that, my friends, is the gift.

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Pssssst: If you haven’t downloaded our free 10-Day Marriage Devotional, Intertwined, head to www.monikakirkland.com/resources for your free PDF download!!