It’s easy to show respect when your husband is showing you unconditional love daily, but it is a different story when your spouse doesn’t even acknowledge you’re there in the same room with him, much less tell you he loves you!

There are two cycles Dr. Eggerichs talks about in his book Love and Respect. The first cycle involves a wife that disrespects her husband, which is followed by the husband withdrawing and giving an unloving response to his wife. This crazy cycle can go on and on eventually forming a wedge between the couple. The second cycle, is one of love displayed by the husband, which brings respect from the wife for her husband and vice versa. However, I wonder what happens when you feel stuck, when you feel you’re doing your part, but your spouse is not responding in the way you would expect.

This is where it becomes challenging. How are you to respect someone when they take you for granted or rarely show how much you mean to them? Friend, the only way is to have a close relationship with your Heavenly Father. We are naturally selfish people that want our needs met or we aren’t happy. In marriage self must not be a factor.

I love what 1 Peter 3:1 says, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the BEHAVIOR of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”

This week I encourage you to show your husband respect even when you don’t feel like it. I ask you to stop and pause before using condescending words that will only create more damage in your relationship. Instead, choose words that will build your husband up and pray over him everyday (all day).

I love you sweet friend and you aren’t alone.

*If you live in the Central Florida area I want to invite you to our Monday meetings at 10am at Faith Assembly on Curry Ford. From the Committed Heart will start back up around the end of August beginning of September. It is a group of women that come together to encourage each other to stay committed and to show wives and moms out there you aren’t alone!