Expressing Love Brings About Change

Expressing Love Brings about Change

[The prodigal son] returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20

HOW DO YOU STIMULATE growth when you are married to an irresponsible spouse? You can have a positive influence on your spouse if you take the right approach.

We’ve talked about locating the source of your spouse’s behavior. Ask questions to determine why he or she is irresponsible. Next I talked about opening the door to change by admitting your own failures and asking for forgiveness. Today, I want to encourage you to seek to meet your spouse’s need for emotional love. You may be thinking, But I’m the one who doesn’t feel loved. I understand, but you are also the more responsible one. You’re the one who wants to see change.

If you speak the primary love language of your spouse, you are taking a step in stimulating change. Why? Because a person who feels loved and secure is more open to change. Didn’t Jesus love us when we were unlovely? He died for us while we were still mired in our sin (see Romans 5:8). Doesn’t the Bible say that we love him because he first loved us (see 1 John 4:19)? A beautiful example of this comes in the Prodigal Son’s story. When the son returned home after squandering all of his money, the father ran toward him and embraced him even before he knew the son’s heart. In the same way, loving your spouse before seeing any change is one of the most powerful steps you can take in stimulating transformation.

Lord, thank you for the example of the father of the Prodigal Son. He embraced his son literally and figuratively even before he knew whether his son was going to change. Please help me to respond that way to my spouse. May I express love without expecting anything else first.

Irresponsibility