Bible Verses For A Happy Marriage

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

Jesus didn't say these were the two greatest commandments for no reason. In fact he stated that all the law and prophets start with these two commandments. All the rest of the verses discussed in this article are built upon these two commandments. When you learn to apply these two commandments to your life and marriage, you can completely change your marriage.

So, how do you apply these to your marriage? You just need put God first in your life and marriage, and then put your spouse second. Sounds pretty simple right, unfortunately it is not always easy since the cares of this life can quickly cause us to invert our priorities. Some steps you can take right now (this is not a complete list - just somethings you can work on right now):

1. Start reading your bible and praying: Starting your day off in the word has a way of keeping the trials of life in check.
2. Start showing small affections to your spouse: Let them know you are thinking of them. A small hug here, a little peck there, and a dash of compliments will go a long way to making your spouse feel like they are important to you.
3. Go for a walk with your spouse and hold hands: spending quality time together will help you connect with your spouse.
4. Start praying with your spouse: As the saying goes, a couple that prays together, stays together.

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV)

These verses are pretty clear - you must spend intimate time together in your marriage. If you do not, you or your spouse may go elsewhere to fulfill that need for intimacy. Once we join in marriage we become one and no longer have sole control over our own bodies.

So, how do you apply this verse to your marriage? Just take the time to be intimate with your spouse, both physically and emotionally. Here are some things you can start doing right now:

1. Hold hands with your spouse: Just the act of holding hands can create intimacy between the two of you.
2. Kiss more often: Kissing is a great way to strengthen the intimate connection between your spouse and you.
3. Create alone time: Try to get some one on one time with your spouse everyday (put the kids to bed earlier, get up earlier, etc...)
4. Get away together: Every so often you need to get away together, whether on a date or a weekend outing. This time spent together will strengthen and revitalize your relationship .

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church-for we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:25-30 (NIV)

Our wives were created by God to crave security. They have an innate need to feel secure in our marriages, without it your wife can feel lost, unappreciated or even bitter. Now, how secure do you think your wife would feel, if she knows that you are willing to lay down your life for her? When you show your wife that she and your marriage are priorities in your life, you will see a new joy welling up inside your wife. Remember a happy wife leads to a happy life.

We are to follow Christ's example as we lead our wives and families. Here are some things you can start doing right now to apply the teachings within this verse to your marriage:

1. Serve your wife: Go out of your way to serve your wife and meet her needs. We are to model Christ within our families and Christ did not come to be served, he came to serve.
2. Help your wife: If you see that your wife is struggling in some area or with some task, come along side her and encourage her and offer to help. In some cases, you may even offer to take over the difficult area(s) to help your wife.

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)

As husbands, we must love and respect our wives. We are to lead, serve, and protect them as our partners and heirs to salvation. Here are some simple things you can start working on today to apply this verse to your marriage.

1. Respect your wife: Always try to build your wife up in front of others - show her that you respect her and what she does for the family. When you do have a problem with your wife, discuss it with her in private behind closed doors.
2. Encourage your wife.: Take time every day to say an encourage word to your wife, let her know how much your appreciates her.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24 (NIV)

Submitting to your husband doesn't mean becoming his slave. It means recognizing his role and putting him first.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. 1 Peter 3:1-6 (NIV)

These verses make it pretty clear that wives are to submit to their husbands regardless of whether they are believers. Many times, christian wives will justify not submitting to their unbelieving husbands because of how their husbands treat them. Unfortunately, I cannot find anywhere in scripture where it states that these commands are conditional on how others treat us. We must remember that we will have to give an account for our own actions and attitudes, and as the passage states, maybe your husband will be won offer by your submissive actions.

In addition, this verse states that a wives beauty should come from within and not with the outward adornment of braided hair, jewelry and fine cloths. It is that inner peace and joy that comes only from our Lord that should pour out of your life and into those around you.

Here are some things you can start working on right now to apply this passage to your marriage and life: