Patience and Support in Marriage

1. Proverbs 14:29: “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” This verse underscores the virtue of patience, which is essential in navigating the complexities of marriage.
2. Ecclesiastes 7:8: “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Patience is highlighted as a virtue that surpasses pride, encouraging couples to endure through challenges with a long-term perspective.
3. Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” These fruits of the Spirit are crucial for a supportive and nurturing marital relationship.
4. Colossians 1:11-12: “Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” This passage encourages couples to rely on divine strength for patience and endurance in their journey together.
5. 1 Thessalonians 5:14: “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” A call to patience and support within the relationship, especially in times when one partner may be struggling.
6. Proverbs 15:18: “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” Advocates for patience as a means to peace and stability in marital disputes.
7. James 5:7-8: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” This analogy encourages patience and faith in the growth and development of the marital relationship.
8. Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Offers a formula for navigating marital challenges with patience, hope, and prayer.
9. Proverbs 19:11: “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Encourages forgiveness and patience, suggesting that overlooking an offense is a mark of wisdom and honor in marriage.
10. 1 Corinthians 13:4: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.” Reiterates the foundational role of patience in expressing true love within marriage.

Shared Spiritual Goals and Practices

1. Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This directive encourages couples to center their lives around shared spiritual principles and to pass these values on to their children.
2. Joshua 24:15: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” A declaration of shared commitment to serving God within the family, setting a spiritual goal that unites the household.
3. Matthew 18:19-20: “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Highlights the power of shared prayer and agreement in faith between spouses.
4. Ephesians 5:19-20: “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Encourages worship and spiritual expression as a shared activity within marriage.
5. Philippians 1:9-10: “And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” This prayer for growing love and spiritual insight can be a mutual goal for couples.
6. Acts 18:26: “He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” Illustrates a couple working together in their spiritual mission, offering a model for shared spiritual goals and ministry.
7. Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Encourages mutual edification and worship in the context of a Christian marriage.
8. 1 Peter 3:7: “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” This verse points to the spiritual equality and joint heirship of husbands and wives, underlining the importance of shared spiritual respect and goals.
9. Malachi 2:15: “Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” Indicates the spiritual purpose behind the marital union and the importance of maintaining a shared spiritual focus.
10. 2 Timothy 1:5: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” Highlights the impact of a shared spiritual heritage and the importance of cultivating faith within the family.