Treating Her Right

Married people tend to spend a lot of time with each other. Marriage joins two people together for life. But for those whose marriages are not filled with happiness, that time spent together can feel like a life sentence.

Life can often challenge your Christian experience.

Life can be busy, and busyness can cause stress. And that can affect the way you interact with others, even those you love.

Many people vent their frustrations on those they should treat with the most tenderness. What God intended to be a blessing far too often seems like anything but. While today’s verse is directed toward men, there’s no question that the counsel Paul offers is equally applicable to either spouse. However, Paul especially saw the need to say to men, “Treat your wife with love. Don’t take out your frustrations on her, and don’t let what she does —or what others do— allow you to become bitter, angry, or frustrated with her.” And Paul did not add an escape clause where he said, “Unless, of course, your wife is especially hard to deal with.” Paul did not say, “Some of you are married to difficult women, and so I don’t blame you for losing your cool!” Instead, Paul’s intention —God’s intention— was that every man would only be kind and loving, no matter the circumstances. So where can a person get that kind of heart? Only the grace of God can do that work in a person’s life. Couples who once despised each other have grown to deeply love each other after going to God in faith. God can give any spouse the grace to be tolerant and kind, and He can work in the heart of the most critical man to cause him to be truly supportive of his wife. God wants to bless marriages and homes, and He calls husbands and wives to be all they can be through the power of the Holy Spirit.