Jeremy, Adrienne Camp share 9 tips for thriving in God-glorifying marriage
Dying to self
“It’s so common to hear the phrase, ‘They lived happily ever after’ when it comes to marriage, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Adrienne said. “Marriage is two imperfect people trying to navigate life together. We push each other’s buttons, we annoy each other. In essence, it’s one of the greatest tools the Lord uses to teach us to die to our flesh. Every day, you need to ask the Lord for unconditional love and renew that love on a daily basis. Real love is one that has gone through the test of time; it’s not an emotional high.”
Jeremy added: “One big lie culture tells us is that if our spouse isn’t fulfilling our dreams and is ‘holding us back’ from what we believe is our true calling, it’s OK to walk away. That’s a lie from the enemy. You need to ask the Lord to help you remain committed and die to yourself even when you’re tempted to walk away.”
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Humility
“Many conflicts in marriage stem from wanting to change the other person,” Jeremy said. “That doesn’t work. We need to prayerfully ask, ‘What is it in me that needs to be changed?’ That takes humility, especially when you feel wronged. When you’re walking in humility, you are able to love your spouse even when the chemistry and feelings fade. Quit trying to change the other person and ask the Lord to instead change your heart.”
“When there’s conflict,” Adrienne added, “Ask yourself: Which one of us is being selfish? Chances are, it’s not one-sided. We have a really hard time walking in humility and admitting we’ve blown it. Pride breeds disunity. But we’re called to pick up our cross and die to self, and that means taming our tongue and asking for forgiveness even when it’s the last thing we want to do.”
