Thanksgiving and Marriage
Something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: Grateful for My Marriage
As Thanksgiving draws near, our hearts naturally turn toward gratitude. We count blessings like family, health, work, and provision—but one gift often overlooked in the rush of life is the sacred blessing of marriage.
Marriage is not always easy. It stretches us, tests us, and exposes our weaknesses. Yet it is also one of God’s greatest gifts, designed to refine us and reflect His love. This Thanksgiving, let’s pause to thank Him for the gift of our spouse and the covenant we share.
Gratitude in Everyday:
It’s easy to be thankful for the big moments—milestones, anniversaries, answered prayers. But much of marriage is built in the everyday: the morning coffee made without asking, the quick hug before work, the shared laugh at the dinner table. Gratitude grows when we recognize these small daily acts as gifts of love.
Gratitude in the Challenges
Scripture reminds us, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even the challenges in marriage are opportunities to grow in patience, forgiveness, and humility. When we choose gratitude in the midst of trials, God uses those moments to strengthen our bond and deepen our faith.
Gratitude for God’s Design
Marriage is more than companionship—it’s a reflection of Christ’s love for His church, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; (Ephesians 5:22-28). When a husband and wife love, serve, and forgive one another, they paint a picture of the gospel. This truth gives us reason to be deeply thankful, because it means our marriage has eternal significance.
A Thanksgiving Prayer
This Thanksgiving, let’s pray:
“Lord, thank You for the gift of marriage. Thank You for my spouse, for the joys we share, the lessons we’ve learned, and the ways You are shaping us. Help me to see my spouse as a blessing, not a burden, and to cultivate gratitude every day. May our marriage bring glory to You.”
As you gather around the table this year, take a moment to look across at your spouse with fresh eyes of gratitude. Marriage is not perfect, but it is a gift. And when we give thanks for it, we find new strength to keep building, together, on the foundation of God’s love.