How to Enjoy a First Corinthians 13 Love in Your Marriage

Do you see your marriage possessing that 1 Corinthians 13 love? How can you live this out practically?

Honestly, I never saw it coming.

There we were enjoying a simple Sunday evening watching a family movie with our special-needs daughter. Big bowls of hot, buttery popcorn and bottles of bright sparkling water. Her idea of a perfect night.

But in the middle of the movie,  I received a call letting me know I’d messed up on an important detail with one of our other sons. I missed something that shouldn’t have been missed.

I felt terrible–but how could I have known? It hadn’t been specified in the information given.

And so I regretfully mentioned all this to my husband.

His reaction was quite unexpected. Normally understanding, he was very, VERY bothered by the mistake.

“I consider this a PARENTING FAIL!” he pronounced rather intensely.

And as I happened to be the one solely responsible for this mishap, I guess that “parenting fail” meant ME.

And boy! did that make me furious.

Extremely unfair and hurtful.

So it’s a good thing I had all that popcorn in front of me because I gnashed my teeth on every kernel…rather than on him.

Bringing Biblical Love Into Your Marriage

I missed the entire last half of the movie as I battled to control my rage over the injustice of his remarks.

But then…that part about “is not provoked” came to mind. The Holy Spirit gently reminding me of the passage we’d been studying together. We’d been going through 1st Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter –  for our FAITHFUL LIFE podcast.

And I felt immediately convicted.

Because love does not take offense at the slightest provocation.

Biblical love says I’m not to be overly touchy. I shouldn’t be so fast to flare up. So apt to snap, snark, or bite…

In other words, I’m not easily provoked.

So when the movie was over, I turned to my husband and softly let him know, “Babe, I need to tell you that I’m offended.”

And that’s all I had to say because he understood immediately what and why.

Now before I share what happened next, I should tell you that in times past this is not necessarily how it would’ve gone down. I would’ve been angry and accusing. Probably never even given him a chance to apologize because I’d be so intent on letting him know just HOW DEEPLY he’d offended me.

But thanks to 1st Corinthians (and the Holy Spirit, of course!), he had that chance.

And he was quick to apologize and ask my forgiveness.

That wasn’t all, however. He actually thanked me for not flaming out and said how much easier it made for him to “hear it.”

I couldn’t help but consider how easily we resolved the situation this time. Rather than spending the entire evening feeling angry and/or misunderstood, we were able to lovingly enjoy the rest of the night together.

And in this particular situation? That had to start with me.

So now let me ask about you. When you think of yourself and your marriage…Does this describe you? Are you easily provoked? Are you quick to respond negatively to what your spouse may say or do?

Because when we love each other — in the biblical way — we won’t do that. If we want to enjoy God’s best, we’ll want to take seriously God’s way, outlined for us so clearly in His Word!