What's the secret to a happy marriage? One simple word

What makes a good marriage?

That's the question I popped at a small dinner gathering not long ago. Looking around the room – two couples were newly engaged, two others had passed the 30-year mark, and the rest were somewhere in between – I wondered what people would say.

"You need to look for ways to serve one another," one husband said, "putting each other's needs ahead of your own."

"It helps to remember that you're on the same team," added a young wife. "You don't want to 'win' a fight because that means your spouse has to lose. It's not you-versus-them; you want to be fighting for your marriage together."

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"Share each others' passions," chimed in a third couple. "If you don't love something the other person enjoys, learn more about it. You might discover you like it, after all."

I loved everything everyone said. The simple words spoke volumes and reinforced something I'd read about satisfaction in marriage: namely, that kindness glues couples together.

Kindness is key to satisfaction in marriage

You might think that the secret to a successful union comes down to other things. Good communication, perhaps, or sexual compatibility. Or not having money problems, or issues with in-laws.

These things all matter, of course. But when it comes to predicting long-term stability and satisfaction in marriage, kindness is what matters most.

Kindness counts.

And it's not just bringing your spouse a cup of coffee in the morning (although researchers at the National Marriage Project are big on little "I love you's" like that). Studies show that having a generous mindset – appreciating your spouse's intentions, even if the execution is iffy – is key.

Your husband, for instance, might not have been "deliberately" trying to annoy you when he left the toilet seat up; it could be that he's just absent-minded. Your wife might not be late for dinner "on purpose." Maybe she just had to stop by the store to pick up your gift.

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(As someone who often keeps her spouse waiting but rarely shows up with a gift, I will go ahead and tell you that I did not make up those examples. I got them from one of the "Love Lab" psychologists.)

But you get the idea. Instead of being on the lookout for your spouse's mistakes, look for things you can appreciate and say "thank you" for. Be intentional about showing respect. In humility, as Scripture says, value your spouse above yourself, looking not to your own interests by to theirs.

But... what if I'm just not that nice?

I can imagine what some of you might be thinking. I thought the same thing when I read the research. "I want to be kinder to Robbie," I said to myself, "I really do. But... I'm just not that nice."

(It's true. My husband is way more thoughtful and generous than I, both to me and to others. As I've often said, "I might make friends for us, but Robbie is the one who keeps them.")

But here's the thing about kindness: It is not something we have or we don't. The Bible says kindness comes with our salvation as the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. "The fruit of the Spirit," Paul writes, is "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Kindness, like all of these other God-given attributes, is available to us all.

It works like a muscle, getting stronger with use.

And it also gets stronger with prayer.

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Which, actually, brings up some other interesting marriage research. According to a Wall Street Journal article that came out a few months ago, prayer makes a difference – even when one or both partners are being unkind. "When people pray for the well-being of their spouse when they feel a negative emotion in the marriage, both partners – the one doing the praying and the one being prayed for – report greater relationship satisfaction."

"Greater relationship satisfaction." That sounds very important and official. But let's put it plainly, shall we?

If you're annoyed with your spouse – they left the toilet seat up, they were late again, they did whatever – don't get mad. Try praying for them instead.

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It will make you both happier.

Heavenly Father, May we be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ you forgave us (Ephesians 4:32).

Amen

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