In our last post we talked about the detriment it is to have a condemning spirit towards your spouse. Today we want to talk about the antidote.

In the Christian life the antidote to a condemning spirit is a grateful heart.

My husband is a grateful man. He often says with tears in his eyes how grateful he is for all God has done in our lives. And he has even done this when our circumstances were not what he envisioned. Gratefulness isn’t dependent on what you’ve been given, it’s focus is on Who is giving. Christ gave us the most precious gift we could ever receive. No matter our lack in this life, we have all we need forever!

There is a song out right now by Natalie Grant titled, More Than Anything. The chorus says:

Help me want the Healer more than the healing

Help me want the Savior more than the saving

Help me want the Giver more than the giving

Help me want You, Jesus, more than anything

What a powerful song. It begs the question, Do I want the Giver more than the giving?

Our prayers will often reveal our heart in this matter. If our prayers are filled with requests more than gratefulness, there is a good chance we are leaning away from worshiping God for who He is and desiring more of what He gives.

A grateful spouse is one who shares verbally the things for which they are grateful.

And the more specific the better. When Tom tells me he loves me, it warms my heart. But when he elaborates on all the ways he loves me, this makes me melt.

Let’s purpose to practice gratefulness on a daily basis. To help you, we encourage you to read our book, Cherishing Us – 365 Tips for a Healthy Marriage. It takes intentionality to grow closer together and gratefulness is like pouring fresh water on our efforts. We pray what we’ve written will help you grow in being intentionally grateful.