When Love Stops Keeping Score

“Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

Marriage often struggles not because love disappears, but because scorekeeping quietly takes over. You wake up, go to work, stay faithful, and feel certain you have done more than enough. In your heart, you feel rich with points. Yet your spouse may feel unseen, unheard, and alone. This gap is where bitterness grows. Resentment forms when one heart feels full, and the other feels empty. Scripture reminds you that love does not keep a record of wrongs, and it also does not keep a record of achievements.

You and your spouse measure love differently. You may value big efforts and major milestones. Your spouse may feel loved through small acts done with consistency. This difference does not mean either of you is wrong. It means you are human. When you assume your way of scoring is the only way, you stop being curious and start being critical. Love invites you to learn how the other heart counts.

God gives you a powerful invitation here. You can choose to lay down the scoreboard and pick up kindness. Small acts done with humility soften hearts faster than grand gestures done occasionally. A made bed, a cleaned dish, a gentle word, or a single flower can speak louder than a calendar full of holidays. These small mercies preach faithfulness every day. They say, I see you, I choose you, and I am still here.

Avoiding bitterness requires more than effort. It requires belief. You are called to believe the best about your spouse, even when you know their flaws. When you speak faith into their dreams and character, you become a safe place again. Belief heals fragile hearts and restores trust that criticism has worn down. Today, you are invited to love without keeping score. Let kindness be your daily offering. Let belief replace resentment. Let grace reset your marriage, one small act at a time.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to love like You love. Help me release bitterness and stop keeping score. Open my eyes to the small ways I can serve and encourage my spouse. Guard my heart from resentment and fill my words with belief and grace. Restore joy and tenderness in our marriage, and let Your love be the measure that guides us. Amen.

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