Love Always Protects
When my husband and I got engaged, I thought wow I can’t believe I’m marrying this invincible hunk. And I was right, he’s a hunk. However, I hadn’t clued in on a very important aspect of him quite yet.
I hadn’t clued in on the fact that he isn’t completely invincible. He is fragile, and he is breakable. And I, of all people, have the power to knock him down the fastest.
I remember a certain rainy day so clearly. We were standing in my parents’ kitchen. We had been arguing all day. It had something to do about the wedding—family drama, I believe. It had been such a stressful few months. I had brought myself so far past my wits’ end that I started beating him down. What started as a casual argument turned into personal attacks. His angry face turned to that of someone who had just been torn apart. I noticed the sides of his arms had marks up and down them where he had dug his fingernails into them due to the stress this was causing him. His eyes were welled up with tears. He had no fight left in him. I had beaten him down that far.
I’m the one person he is supposed to be able to trust. I’m the one woman out of the whole world that he had chosen to marry, and I was attacking him for no good reason. I felt as though my heart had been ripped out of my chest.
1 Corinthians 13:7 says “[love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
And here I was, breaking the very first characteristic of love that’s stated in that verse. Love always protects. It’s not the first characteristic that comes to most people’s minds when thinking of love and marriage, but it’s so important. I am to protect my husband’s heart.
I remember breaking down into tears that evening. I remember crying so hard that I could barely get out the words “I’m sorry.”
Love has so many responsibilities, and as sinners, we’re going to fail our husbands. And they’re going to fail us. We’re going to be tempted to seek revenge by speaking words we’ll regret—but we’re called to protect our husbands. Not to beat them down. This begins with protecting the words we speak towards them, and comes full circle when it’s our turn to accept an apology and move on.
Pause and pray when you’re tempted to lash out at your husband. He may be tough and hunky on the outside, but on the inside he’s so fragile. Not only is he fragile, but the words you say to him matter more than what any other person has to say to him. Take that power, and build him up.
See him and treat him how God sees and treats us—as sinners who are beautifully perfect only because of His wonderful grace and forgiveness.
– Tayler Beede nittygrittylove.com
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” – Psalms 91:14-16
Challenge:
Protect your marriage by praying for your husband every single day. Also be aware that you can protect and preserve your marriage by your behavior, so be intentional with your words and actions. If anyone outside your marriage talks poorly against your husband, defend him. If you are talking with others about your marriage, build up a good reputation for your husband. When you respond to your husband, be sure you are loving him and extending grace and not tearing him down.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to protect and preserve my marriage. Help me to remember to pray for my husband every day. Give me a desire to want to pray for our marriage regularly. May your Holy Spirit teach me how to protect my husband’s reputation, as well as how to protect him in my actions towards him. May I protect and honor him with what I do and say. I pray that I would never harm him, but bring him good always. I pray for protection over my marriage from the attacks of the enemy, may you shield us from harm and temptation, may you strengthen us in our weakness, and may you deliver us in times of trouble in Jesus name AMEN!
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. – 1 Corinthians 13 : 4-8
Questions to discuss in the comments:
What is one way you can protect your husband better?
How can protecting your husband benefit your marriage?