My husband and I celebrated thirty-six years of marriage this year. And I know our marriage blessings always far outweigh the tough times.
Still, sometimes we form a perspective through a lens of what’s wrong with the world and our lives.
So that makes it easy to draw attention to the weak spots in our marriage.
Then we forget the great blessings we receive from God in simply being married.
Maybe we can easily jot down what’s wrong in our marriage or what we want out of our marriage. Perhaps we find it difficult to complete a list of blessings.
Does anybody relate? My hand’s raised.
But the most concerning thing is what I found as antonyms of “blessing.” According to synonyms.com the opposite of blessings includes disapproval, curse, rejection, depreciation, negate, invalidate, dislike, boycott, and dishonor.
Now, look at synonyms for blessings: approval, acceptance, grace, support, reward, backing, mercy, and thanksgiving.
Yet, as soon as we said, “I do,” God placed a calling on our lives. Along with this calling, doesn’t it make sense to form our perspective through the lens of God’s grace and mercy, and His blessings?
Friends, this includes the blessings in our marriage. So, let’s start with a list of ten marriage blessings.
Wonderful Marriage Blessings
(1) The blessing of oneness. To be one with our spouse is one of the great mysteries and rewards of marriage. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31 ESV).
(2) The blessing of togetherness. Let’s not take our marriage for granted. Think about how many women and men feel alone with no plus one. “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9 ESV).
(3) The blessing of friendship. The Lord created us as relational beings, first with Him, then others. Becoming best friends in marriage is without a doubt an epic blessing—never without a friend by our side.
(4) The blessing of love. Remember these endearing expressions: My wife’s the love of my life. Or, I love my husband so much.
(5) The blessing of family ties. Although bringing two families together after matrimony isn’t easy, and even though in-laws may see things differently than we do, this increase in family is meant to be a good thing…a built-in support group.
Beautiful Marriage Blessings
(6) The blessing of dependence. God created marriage as a mutual dependence, for husband and wife to complement one another.
(7) The blessing of authenticity. If we can be who we really are around anyone, shouldn’t it be our spouse? The Lord created us not only for relationships but also for authentic relationships—not having to put up a facade.
(8) The blessing of vulnerability. My husband and I feel closer and more connected emotionally when we are vulnerable to each other. It’s an amazing blessing to be honest about where we struggle and where we need help.
(9) The blessing of support. Marriage is the place we are meant to find the ultimate support. Whether we need emotional, mental, financial, physical, or other types of support, one of the greatest blessings in marriage is knowing who we can count on.
(10) The blessing of sexual intimacy. This blessing directly points back to the first blessing, oneness. God created us for oneness in body, spirit, and soul. In body, our oneness includes sexual intimacy. Sex is a good gift, a great blessing given to us by the Creator. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).
Make a List/Couples Devotions
And please remember, my list is not exhaustive. But neither is God’s blessings over our marriage.
Will you consider making a list of marriage blessings to keep in a journal or on a device?
Include my ten to build upon or start from scratch. Ask the Lord to reveal blessings to you and pray them over your marriage. Also, share them with your spouse as a time of couple devotions.
Perhaps our list will turn out longer than we ever imagined possible.
Note: Listing our blessings doesn’t mean denial. This article in no way implies denying any abusive situations in your marriage. Seek out good biblical counsel with regards to protective measures for abuse.
Also see: The Shocking Amount of Blessings God Extends to Us.
Featured and top photos by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash/Middle photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash/Bottom photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
