Did you know that God will bless you through your relationships? He will pour out His favor on you by using the people in your life. He’ll use your friends, family, coworkers, and even your spouse. It says in Proverbs 18:22, “He who finds a wife, finds favor from the Lord.” Men, do you realize that your wife is bringing you favor from the Lord? Victoria never lets me forget that! We should always be thankful for our relationships and not take our loved ones for granted. We should do our best to seek peace and choose love.

One of the ways we can choose love is by giving each other room to make mistakes. Ladies, the scripture says in First Peter that you are to “enjoy your husband.” It does not say that you are to remodel that man! It doesn’t say that you’re to try to change him or make him fit into your mold. No, let him be who God made him to be and learn to enjoy him. He may have weaknesses. He may do things that you don’t particularly care for, but don’t focus on that. Focus on his good qualities. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing your husband to someone else’s husband. “Well, my husband never brings me flowers like Susie’s husband. They go out on a candlelight dinner every weekend. I don’t know what’s wrong with my husband.” No, quit comparing and be grateful for the man God has given you. If you’re single today, be thankful that you have a perfect Provider, a faithful Companion, one who will never leave you nor forsake you—Almighty God. Let Him fill the needs of your heart and direct you to the right person at the right time if you so desire.

If you are married, don’t let these little things build up. Don’t let resentment creep in. Before long, resentment and bitterness will bring in strife and division and make you difficult to be around. Instead, I challenge you to find something good, one great quality about your husband or wife, and then begin to magnify it. Your husband may not be the most romantic man. He may not be the best communicator. But maybe he is a hard worker. Maybe he provides a great living. Well, why don’t you start telling him, “Hey, I appreciate you for being such a great provider for our family?”

If you will magnify the good, not only will you be happier, but you’ll see that man come up higher in other areas. Maybe your husband doesn’t go to church with you. You’ve tried and tried, but he’s just not interested. Well, don’t nag him. Don’t try to beg him into coming. No, just love the man. I’ve seen too many ladies trying to push scriptures on their husbands, always preaching him a sermon or telling him what he’s doing wrong. But really, I believe a better approach is to just be your husband’s best friend. Just be fun to be around. Just love him. That’s going to draw him in quicker than putting pressure on him. Remember, you aren’t called to change him; you are called to love him and pray for him. Just focus on being a good example and let God do the rest.

Ultimately, each of us has the responsibility to treat our spouse—and all the people in our lives—with respect and honor. Don’t take the people in your life for granted. Magnify the good, choose to forgive, and watch how God will pour out His favor on you through your relationships!