From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. (John 1:16)

Grace can’t be earned or deserved. It can’t be demanded or claimed as a right. It is a gift, freely given by a Giver who has an endless supply.

Gratitude is one telltale sign of a recipient of grace, followed by stewardship and giving. Receiving grace from God makes giving grace to others possible. In fact, God calls me to give from His boundless supply.

We base our approach to helping couples upon the principle that we first need to receive grace from God so that we will have something to give to others, particularly our spouses. For example, we might encourage couples who struggle with forgiving one another to explore the forgiveness that God gives them. Also, we might challenge couples who deal with rejection to explore God’s unconditional acceptance of every believer.

Giving God’s grace means that I give u deserved favor, unearned love, and unmerited kindness. I am empowered to love my spouse this way only when I develop gratitude for God’s grace toward me.

I remember when I first understood that God had shown me undeserved favor. I remember the absolute disbelief I felt when I realized that God – in spite of all I had done, in spite of my open rebellion to any kind of authority, including His – could love me and save me from eternal separation from Him. I remember the incredible gratitude I felt when I came to an understanding of God’s love, which He demonstrated to me even though I had done nothing to earn it or deserve it.

When I consider God’s grace, I can do nothing less than pass that same kind of grace along to my spouse.

Q. What unmerited acts of love and acceptance can you do for your spouse today?

PRAYER: God, help me to remember the grace You’ve poured out to me and so share that grace with my spouse.