The one and only true foundation for truly loving others comes from God. Therefore in order to actually love someone, you first need to love God with all of your heart, mind and soul. In return, God gives us the gifts of insight and wisdom so we can love others wholly. Be all of the person God wants you to be and watch your marriage grow in abundance and happiness.
1. Be Cooperative
Cooperation involves working together as a team. Marriage is a team and sometimes that means applying teamwork in the marriage. Cooperation is one of the basic rules of any relationship no matter what it is. Cooperation can involve being supportive about a certain issue or it can actually mean working together on a project. There is no better time to start learning the aspects of cooperation then before you get married.
2. Be Appreciative
Always remember to be appreciative of the person you married, even if you don’t feel like it. We all have bad days and on those days we don’t feel like being very kind, but remember what foundation you are working off of here. You’re not part of the uncaring world, but part of God’s loving and compassionate world. Just because you’re in the world does not mean you have to be a part of it.
3. Be Committed
People have this preconceived idea that it is impossible to truly love someone. You don’t have to be a heavenly angel to love others completely. But you do have to be committed to your relationship. Commitment is love. Let’s suppose you are not committed to the person you married, what do you think is going to happen? Well, I know for a fact you will not go out of your way to love your spouse. Commitment makes us loyal and trustworthy people. Commitment reminds us that marriage is a union of two people devoted to one another through God.
4. Be Respectful
Couples tend to take each other for granted and overtime it causes them to look at each other differently and treat them with disrespect. If you have made it a habit to treat your loved one in the wrong way, maybe you just need to look at yourself and see what is making you feel negative towards the person you married. Many times it is just a simple attitude adjustment that needs primed a bit. Be respectful and it will come back to you.
5. Be A Good Communicator
Anyone can be a good communicator when they take the time to listen. Being a good communicator takes compassion and understanding. Let the other person get their feelings out and then let them know you understand how they feel, even if you don’t agree. You certainly do not have to agree to be able to understand a person’s feelings. When it is your turn to talk, do it in a way that does not sound accusatory or blaming. You can be a good communicator by having the patience, acceptance and understanding for the person you are communicating with.
6. Be Accepting
Let’s look at our self and our own motives before we pass unwarranted judgment onto those we love. The traits that annoy us in others are usually what we don’t like about ourselves. Judge yourself first, and then forgive and help your spouse to forgive you.
7. Be Submissive
What is submission? Submission is all of the above virtues rolled into one. It is “giving in” even when you don’t want to. It is accepting, respecting, cooperating, and appreciating the person you married. Submission summed up in one word is LOVE.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7