Life is unpredictable, and we don’t always know what’s around the corner. Although we all try to plan our lives and marriages, hoping things will work out as we envision, life’s seasons and stages don’t always meet our expectations. In spite of this, when we marry, we promise to love and care for each other through it all.
Loving one another well should extend through all life’s ups and downs, no matter what happens. Things may not always go according to plan, but when you build your marriage on a solid foundation of steadfast love, facing the unexpected becomes much easier. In this post, we’re talking all about how to love one another fully, regardless of what season you’re in.
Keep an Open Heart
The challenges of life can sometimes cause distress and heartache, tempting us to close ourselves off. But to love your spouse well, you’ll need to keep an open heart. Make empathy a daily practice so you can more easily understand your spouse’s point of view in any given situation.
Be Flexible When Times Are Hard
Hard times call for flexibility and understanding. Carry one another’s burdens as you can. Be there when your spouse needs you. Know that your expectations won’t always be met during this time, and give each other plenty of grace.
Embrace Life’s Changes With Grace
Change isn’t always easy, though some changes are easier to embrace than others. As your life shifts, embrace these changes as best you can. Children come into the world, then grow up and move out. Parents and in-laws age and require end-of-life care. We experience loss. Support one another through it all.
Be Faithful Through All Seasons
The vow to be faithful is always of utmost importance, in good times and bad. Remember your promises to be steadfast and loyal to one another, comforting and loving each other no matter what you’re facing at the moment. If you’re struggling or feeling distant from one another, work to keep an open line of communication – or seek professional counseling if you need it.
Don’t Withhold Love or Affection
Whatever life brings, it’s important to keep showing love and affection to one another. Don’t withhold those gestures or allow challenges to prevent you from pouring into your spouse. This is especially true if you’ve faced relationship struggles. Let the love you have for each other become a source of healing, peace, and strength.
Forgive Generously
For any relationship to stand the test of time, a generous amount of forgiveness is required. So if you want to love each other well throughout your life, you’ll both need to be prepared to extend forgiveness. Forgive generously, just as you hope for others to forgive you when it’s needed.
Create Happiness Intentionally
Finally, work together to intentionally create happiness. Our book, Making Happy: The Art and Science of a Happy Marriage, offers tips and advice to help you and your spouse work toward what you truly want: happiness. Take a look and get your copy here.
How do you and your spouse show love for one another – especially when times get challenging? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
My spouse and I often walk and talk—it helps to ease the stress (physically) of difficult conversations. We seek the Lord’s help first, before we talk, and are willing to “table” topics that are especially challenging for a later time. We send daily “Love texts “ to one another. We validate each other’s feelings—- how we feel is never “wrong.”