How Do You Care for Your Spouse?

“Your care has preserved my spirit.” Job 10:12b

Care – such a little word that everyone seems to understand.  We obviously care about our spouse or we wouldn’t have married them.  Then why write about the word care?  The definition of care is not as simple as the word appears to be.  Care means, “Serious attention; solicitude; heed; protection.” (dictionary.com)  The words used in the definition take what seems to be such a simple word and gives it a whole new meaning. 

As you think about your day-to-day interactions with your spouse do you provide serious attention, expressive attentiveness (solicitude) and protection for your spouse?  Does that question make you stop and think about how you care for your spouse?  I have no doubt that all of you care for your spouse; yet are we deliberate in our care?  How do we be deliberate in our care?

Care for your spouse can be shown in many ways.  Care can be shown in the simple ways such as knowing your spouse needs something at the grocery store and you just pick it up.  You may just come home and give your spouse a hug because you are expressing your care for them.  Care is more complex too.  As noted in the definition care means protection.  You can care for your spouse by protecting them and not using harsh words about them to other people.  You can protect them by not allowing harsh words from other people. 

When you take a moment to really digest the definition of care the care you give your spouse is crucial to growing together.  Scripture notes in Job, “Your care has preserved my spirit.”  Job was not in a great situation.  He had lost loved ones and livestock and yet he saw and felt the love from God.  He noted how His care is what was getting him through the tragedy.  The care you give your spouse can protect the spirit of your spouse.  It is not the same protection that we get from God but it is a safeguard for our spouse.   Stuff is going to come up throughout marriage and it will not always be pleasant.  You can offer that “safe” place for them.  That place where they know they can go and find solicitude.

Christ has provided His care for us.  He cared enough for us to protect us from evil.  He cared enough for us to prepare a place for us in heaven.  He cared enough for us to die.  He also cares enough for us to help us.  Caring for someone is very involved.  Ask Christ to help you see where your spouse needs care and how to provide it in a way that preserves their spirit. 

Cheryl