Pastor Gareth Richards shares testimony about how the Holy Spirit filled him with renewed love that strengthened his marriage. Day 12 of 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting 2019.
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom. 5:5, NKJV)
“I have no hope, and I’m beyond disappointed, so how can I love her?”
This was the confession of my tired and broken heart; yet, the Lord was planning a collision course with His Word for me.
None of us has the love needed to make a marriage flourish until we ask the Holy Spirit for it to be poured out again into our hearts. I came to the realization that I’d stopped the Holy Spirit from doing one of His jobs: He takes the love of Jesus today and pours it into receptive hearts that used up their love yesterday.
We don’t have all the love needed for a marriage, but God has it—and lots of it! With the Lord’s help and my asking, new love filled my empty heart. Soon, our marriage was better than ever and full of new hope.
It sounds simple, and it is—but only if an empty heart decides to ask. Go and ask for what your marriage needs today. Ask for His love to be poured into your heart and give it away to your spouse. Your marriage will soar to new heights!
Prayer + Reflection
1. Humbly accept that you personally don’t have the love your marriage needs.
2. Go before the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to pour the love of Jesus into your heart afresh.
3. Go, enjoy and spoil your spouse with that new love today.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
- Soul Keeping: Caring for the Most Important Part of You by John Ortberg
- A Guidebook to Prayer: 24 Ways to Walk with God by MaryKate Morse
- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day by Pete Scazzero
- Forming the Leader’s Soul: An Invitation to Spiritual Direction by Morris Dirks
- Centers for Spiritual Renewal East + West
- Transforming Center with Ruth Haley Barton
- Pure Desire Ministries
- Heart to Heart Counseling Center’s Clean Class with Doug Weiss
- Crossroads Counseling of the Rockies
- At the Crossroads by Pete Kuiper
- See all recommended resources
Print out the full 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting PDF to follow along in your quiet time.
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