“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (James 1:22 NLT)

The Bible is the source of some of the most famous quotes in all of literature. “A fool and his money are soon parted” comes from Proverbs 21:20. “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” which was quoted by Abraham Lincoln in a speech on the eve of the Civil War, comes from Matthew 12:25. “Go the extra mile” comes from Matthew 5:41. And “You reap what you sow” comes from Galatians 6:7.

God’s Word also contains some of the most familiar stories ever written. Even people who have never cracked the spine of a Bible can tell you about Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s den, or Hezekiah’s purification of the temple (okay, maybe not that one).

There’s a lot to admire in the Bible. But God doesn’t want us to be admirers of His Word. He doesn’t want us to be appreciators or bystanders. He wants us to be active participants. He wants us to apply those famous quotes to the decisions we make every day. He wants us to find common ground with people who were faithful to God in those familiar stories. He wants us to take steps to avoid the fate of the people who weren’t faithful.

The Bible contains wisdom that can be applied to practically any area of your life. The key is knowing how to make the connection. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, the apostle Paul writes, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (NLT).

The way you connect these words to your life will depend on your relationship. You might resolve to learn to tolerate—or maybe even appreciate—certain quirks or habits of your spouse that try your patience. You might take steps to deal with your feelings of jealousy. You might apologize for times when you demanded your own way or brought up things your spouse did in the past.

Maybe you’re struggling in your relationship. Maybe you and your spouse have even talked about ending it. If you turn the words of 1 Corinthians 13 into a plan of action, you might choose instead not to give up. You might ask God to strengthen your faith—in Him and in one another. You might look for signs of hope that you can build on. You might talk to a Christian counselor to find ways to endure together.

If you study God’s Word for the purpose of doing what it says, you can change your relationship—and every other area of your life—in ways you can’t imagine.

Reflection question: How will you apply a specific passage of Scripture to your life this week?

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