When we get married, we join our life with our spouse. We join our history, past experiences, money, secrets, and our insecurities. We become one. Although we are individually unique, we come together to become one.

This union causes a shift in our priorities. Our spouse becomes our primary priority. They become the person that has the biggest impact on us and vise versa. Prioritizing your spouse means that they get the best of you. The best of your energy, the first intentions of your time, and the best of your attitude.

God designed marriage to be the most important relationship between a woman and a man. This relationship should be more important than any other relationship. At the wedding ceremony, the father gives away his daughter to the husband. They are asked, “who is it that gives this woman to be with this man?” This public declaration is the symbolism that the once daughter, is being released from under the care of her father to the now care of her husband. The priority of her parents, as well as his parents, has now shifted to a lower priority position in their life.

God placed something within each of us that lets us know there is no one that comes before our spouse. Whenever this position has been compromised or threatened, we experience “legitimate jealousy” Jimmy Evans, the author of Marriage on the Rock, explains that legitimate jealousy is jealousy we should feel when we don’t feel like a priority to our spouse, or when something of lesser importance has been placed in higher priority than us. What our spouses are saying is, “I don’t like that I feel something, or someone is more important to you than

As spouses, we have a moral obligation from God to protect our relationship from being violated by people or things of lesser importance. Lesser importance doesn’t mean that it’s something bad. In fact, most of the things or people that we make the mistake of prioritizing before our spouse are good and important. But when those good things have robbed your spouse of your time and energy that rightfully belongs to them you are violating your marriage.

If you have violated your marriage in this way, change needs to occur soon. Failure to change will lead to the damaging or destruction of your marriage.

The ultimate standard of measuring love is, what are you willing to give up to meet your spouse’s needs? Answering this question will give you insight into how important your spouse is compared to other things in your life. It’s not just enough to tell your spouse that they are important, you must show them with your action. You must protect your priorities. Here are three ways you can correct your priorities if you need to correct them:

1. List the most important priorities in your life in order of importance

In order to know what things are important to you, make a list of things that you do or people you have in your life. Make it visual.

2. Prove those priorities in real ways

How do you prove your priorities in real ways? You put action behind your words. If your she needs more of your time, work less and be with them. If he doesn’t feel honored, ask him how you can honor him and do just that.

3. Set a plan for how you’re going to protect your priorities

Think of your time and energy in terms of money, a limited asset. To get the best and most use out of your money, you must set a budget. If money is left after you have taken care of the necessities, then you can afford some luxuries. Buying luxuries (movies, shopping, theme park tickets, etc.) Before taking care of necessities (food, rent, etc.) Is foolish and unwise.
It’s the same with your time and energy. Whatever your priorities are should be budgeted in to get your time and energy first. Your priorities are your essentials. It’s unwise to give your time and energy to things that aren’t priorities. Your spouse should get your time before your friends do.
If someone or something’s not going to get your time and energy, it shouldn’t be her.

Prioritize Your Spouse