The Five Minute Friday prompt word for today is SEND. Some words that describe the opposite of send: withhold, conceal, hide, cease, retain, suppress, refrain, … keep.
During the course of the past ten years of marriage, I’ve been known to do all of the above. There have been ugly moments where I’ve chosen to keep quiet as a punishment. I’ve withheld my love, suppressed it, and refrained from the intimacy that is meant for this beautiful union.
This only hurts a marriage. When we push our words down deep, and keep them for ourselves, refusing to send our love with open hands. Open hands shows release. Releasing our pride, our will, and our agenda. Open hands sends love to our spouse that was meant to be theirs. A closed fist marriage won’t last. It may look like it’s intact, but it is fact retracting and crumbling at the foundation.
Send your love to your spouse today. Stop withholding, concealing, hiding, ceasing, retaining, suppressing, refraining, and keeping it to yourself.
A marriage that works follows God’s principles and His ways. The Bible talks of love. It’s:
- patient
- kind
- without envy
- without boasting
- without pride
- full of honor for one another
- not self-seeking
- not easily angered
- without lists (keeping a record of wrong)
How can you send your love to your spouse today? In what ways has the Lord been calling you to lay down your pride, and love your man more intentionally? Is it time to burn that list of records of wrong? Is it time to open up those clenched fists, and release your love?
How very true your words are. After 40 years of marriage I believe open-heartedness is the best policy. I’ve tried the others. Thank-you for the message. I’ll send it along.
40 years! Congrats. It takes work, but it is also so much fun when it’s full of love, laughter, and God’s plan!
I think for the first 12-13 years of my 28 year marriage I withheld so much from my husband like a toddler pouting to get my way. I do believe I have finally learned his love language in order to find ways to send him love daily. It isn’t always easy but it is so worth doing. Thank you for the reminder to send love each and every day not just when we feel like it.
You are very welcome. Don’t we need reminders often? Thanks for stopping by Amy, and sharing your testimony! Congrats on 28 years!
Thanks sweet friend!
You are very welcome. Thanks for your wisdom.
Open hands . . . love that way of approaching our relationships with our spouse. It so takes open hands and being intentional. But it’s so worth it! Great post, Traci. xoxo