Love is Not Self-Seeking

The Bible teaches that one of the prominent characteristics that reveals the force and nature of love is that it “seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthian 13:5, KJV) or “is not self-seeking” (NIV). Essentially this means that those who embody true, biblical love do not insist upon their own way or their own rights. Rather, those who genuinely love neither take any thought for themselves nor pursue their own interests. They are unselfish. In a culture that is overrun with a sense of entitlement and egocentrism, this is a critical lesson to be learned. This is especially the case when it comes to one of the most selfish ventures of our times – marriage.

The Health Benefits of Marriage

Despite the fact that the institution of traditional marriage is undeservedly taking hits on many fronts in our culture, there are many undeniable benefits and advantages that married couples possess.  To mention just a few areas, married couples enjoy more financial stability, better social support, fewer addiction problems, better family relationships, and greater levels of overall happiness.  In addition to all of these facts demonstrated by research, there is another extremely positive characteristic of marriage that may surprise you.  There are many extraordinary health benefits associated with traditional marriage.

Gender Differences in Bonding and Friendship

Have you ever noticed at get-togethers with adult family and friends that frequently people naturally separate into two groups? Often the women will gravitate to one room to converse with one another while the men gather in another room to watch a sports event, play video games, or engage in some other activity. There is a reason for this tendency. And, the same concept relates to marital intimacy and efforts to bond with your spouse.

Harboring Negative Perceptions in Marriage

Harboring negative perceptions about your spouse can be incredibly destructive to your marriage. Unfortunately, it occurs in the vast majority of marriages to some degree. This is problematic for a number of reasons. What are negative perceptions, how do they harm marital relationships, and what can be done to combat this tendency?