WEBVTT - A Prayer to Recommit Your Marriage

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for listening to your daily prayer, where we

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<v Speaker 1>help you find the words you need to connect to

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<v Speaker 1>your Father in Heaven. No matter what is happening in

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<v Speaker 1>your life today, you can trust that God wants to

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<v Speaker 1>hear from you. Right after this short word from our sponsors,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll pray through today's prayer. to recommit your marriage. A

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<v Speaker 1>Prayer to Recommit Your Marriage Written by Laura Bailey Read

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<v Speaker 1>by Carrie Eichberger For by the grace given me, I

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<v Speaker 1>say to every one of you, do not think of

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<v Speaker 1>yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of

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<v Speaker 1>yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the faith God

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<v Speaker 1>has distributed to each of you. Romans 12 verse 3

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<v Speaker 1>One of my favorite things to do was sit on

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<v Speaker 1>the porch and chat with my grandmother. In the last

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<v Speaker 1>few years of her life, God graciously provided many opportunities

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<v Speaker 1>for me to spend time with her. soaking up decades

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<v Speaker 1>of life experience that was drenched in faithfulness to the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember one day I was sharing with her how

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes it was difficult to like my husband. Sure, I

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<v Speaker 1>always loved him, but there were some things he did

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<v Speaker 1>that drove me up the wall. In her signature cackle,

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<v Speaker 1>she said, I know just what you mean, Laura, but

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<v Speaker 1>let me tell you a not-so-secret about loving and liking

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<v Speaker 1>your husband well. Every day, choose to recommit to your marriage.

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<v Speaker 1>Confused by her admonishment, I asked her to explain in

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<v Speaker 1>more detail. My grandmother, who stayed in a marriage years

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<v Speaker 1>after learning of my grandfather's unfaithfulness, shared with me that

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<v Speaker 1>oftentimes we like to think the decision to love our

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<v Speaker 1>spouse is dependent on them. In reality, it has less

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<v Speaker 1>to do with the other person and more with ourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>Do we have the mindset of Christ, who served and

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<v Speaker 1>humbled himself for us? Or are our love and commitment conditional?

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<v Speaker 1>If they do this, then I will do that. See, Laura,

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<v Speaker 1>every day you have a choice in your marriage to

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<v Speaker 1>choose humility or self, and that takes a daily commitment,

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<v Speaker 1>she smiled. I often think about her words of encouragement.

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<v Speaker 1>She references Philippians 2 verses 5-11 and And I think

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<v Speaker 1>about Paul's words to the church in Rome, which was

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<v Speaker 1>also struggling with its relationships. Romans 12.3 speaks specifically to

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<v Speaker 1>Christians in Rome. However, the overall message applies to believers

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<v Speaker 1>today and to how we should view our spouses. Paul

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<v Speaker 1>encourages the early church, which was struggling to get along

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<v Speaker 1>and just barely tolerating one another, to recognize that the

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<v Speaker 1>mark of a Christ follower is humility. He tells them

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<v Speaker 1>and us today that we should not think so highly

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<v Speaker 1>of ourselves. This prideful elevation of self comes at the

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<v Speaker 1>expense of our relationships and ability to serve others. Admittedly,

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<v Speaker 1>when I become irritated with my husband, I am tempted

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<v Speaker 1>to say, I love you, but I don't really like

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<v Speaker 1>you right now. This is a result of putting my

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<v Speaker 1>desires and expectations above my husband. I am not saying

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<v Speaker 1>we can't have opinions. that it's wrong to share our

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<v Speaker 1>frustrations in the hope of reaching a compromise or conclusion.

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<v Speaker 1>But what would our marriage look like if we assumed

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<v Speaker 1>the best in our spouses before we pounced? What if

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<v Speaker 1>we elevated their needs over our preferences? How might our

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<v Speaker 1>marriage change if we approach our spouses from a position

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<v Speaker 1>of service and sacrifice instead of expectations and demands? My

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<v Speaker 1>grandmother passed away last year. And I deeply greet our

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<v Speaker 1>time together on the porch, solving the world's problems, or

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<v Speaker 1>at least for helping me to solve mine. But I

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<v Speaker 1>keep her words with me. And when I am tempted

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<v Speaker 1>to cast blame, wink the finger, or throw myself a

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<v Speaker 1>pity party, I remember I have a choice in my marriage.

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<v Speaker 1>I take a minute and recommit to serving, sacrificing, and

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<v Speaker 1>loving my husband to put on the mindset of Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your love. Thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for being always faithful. Lord, I am asking for

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<v Speaker 1>your guidance and your hand over my marriage. Please help

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<v Speaker 1>me to think more highly of my spouse. Let me

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<v Speaker 1>actively seek to serve them well. I ask that every

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<v Speaker 1>day I adopt the mindset of Christ and think more

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<v Speaker 1>highly of others than of myself. I ask that you

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<v Speaker 1>forgive me when I fall short. Help me to be

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<v Speaker 1>quick to seek forgiveness from those whom I hurt. Thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for the gift of people who speak biblical truth

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<v Speaker 1>into my life and who push me to live in

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<v Speaker 1>a way that brings you glory. I love you, Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>In Jesus' name, amen. Your Daily Prayer is a production

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<v Speaker 1>of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you haven't already,

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<v Speaker 1>be sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast

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