2020 Marriage Challenge Day 20

Day 20 of the 28-Day Marriage Challenge

Day 20: Love Believes

Two phrases continually repeat in my head: "She loves me. She's for me." Anytime Jenny says or does something which creates doubts or hurts me, I remind myself of these two important truths. After twenty years of marriage, Jenny has greatly proven that she loves me and she is for me. She would never do anything to intentionally hurt, embarrass, or injure me.This knowledge allows me not just to believe in her, but to believe in her intentions. Whenever I'm tempted to take something as a personal attack or think that she is trying to be hurtful, I can instead believe that she loves me and is for me. Some have called this the Assumption of Good Intent. When a marriage has this as a general operating procedure, it changes everything. Fights are less likely. The chances of hurt feelings greatly diminish. It doesn't mean everything is perfect. It simply means that it's easier for a couple to fight together to work on an issue rather than fighting against each other because they are hurt. Obviously, this Assumption of Good Intent shouldn't be blindly given. It has to be proven and protected. Spouses can intentionally cause harm. In some relationships, husbands and wives do not love each other. Yet when couples love each other, earn each other's trust, and continually look out for each other. They can assume the best about one another.Love believes.             Application: Discuss with your spouse the Assumption of Good Intent. Have the two of you earned that assumption? How can you better create that as a characteristic in your marriage? How can you remind each other to carry that assumption?                For more, see:How to Keep a Small Fight Small6 Common Mistakes When Fighting