15 Bible Verses for a Struggling Marriage
Even the strongest marriages go through difficult times. When these times come, our marriages need secure anchors to hold us through the storms of life. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses for a struggling marriage.
Bible Verses for a Struggling Marriage
I invite you to meditate on these words and apply them to your marriage. God is a God of restoration and healing, and nothing is too hard for him. If you are in an abusive marriage, seek help. Do not continue in the pattern of abuse. There is a time to set boundaries and walk away.
If your marriage is simply going through a difficult stretch, ask God to heal and restore your marriage. Apply these Scriptures to your life.
I also encourage you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find hope in the Lord as you face this difficult time. He wants to guide you and carry you.
15 Bible Verses for a Struggling Marriage
Let’s see what God’s Word says about restoring struggling relationships. Here are 15 hope-filled Bible verses for a struggling marriage.
1. Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Rather than defending ourselves, imagine how different our marriages would be if we were tenderhearted toward one another.
Ask God to give you a tender heart toward your spouse. Ask him to help you respond with gentleness instead of being accusatory or defensive.
This is a prayer God will answer because he wants us to be tenderhearted toward one another.
2. Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
We are all broken people, and we all hurt one another. Extending forgiveness in marriage is crucial.
Ask God to show you if you have a root of bitterness or resentment toward your spouse. If he reveals a bitter root, confess this sinful attitude. Repent by turning away from bitterness and turning toward God.
Forgive your spouse. This doesn’t mean trust is automatically restored, but forgiveness will free you from bitterness. You will need to practice forgiving your spouse repeatedly, often for the same offense.
By choosing this lifestyle of forgiveness, you protect your marriage from the root of bitterness. This root will eventually destroy your marriage if left unchecked.
3. Romans 12:10
Outdo one another in showing honor.
Many husbands and wives fall into the unhealthy pattern of competing with one another. When one a wife feels like she is doing more than her fair share of the household work, she might mentally keep a list of everything she has done, comparing it with her husband’s meager contribution.
Rather than competing in this way, what if we committed to outdoing one another in showing honor by serving each other?
Ask God to give you joy as you serve your spouse. This is his desire for you. He wants to change your heart and transform your marriage.
4. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
These words were originally written by the Apostle Paul to the early church in Corinth. He was teaching God’s people how to love one another.
In modern times, these verses are often read at weddings. They are helpful admonitions in marriage as well.
Our marriages would be transformed if we put these words into action. The first three words in this passage are a good place to start: “Love is patient.” Many marriage struggles could be averted by simple patience.
5. Proverbs 21:9
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
Scripture refers to a nagging wife as a dripping faucet. It’s hard to find peace when the faucet is dripping all hours of the day and night.
Ask God if this is an area of growth for your marriage, whether you are a husband or a wife. Do you regularly stir up arguments? What is God revealing? What is he asking from you?
6. Ephesians 5:33
However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Paul wrote these words the men in the church in Ephesus. These men were good at caring for their needs, but this often came at the cost of caring for their wives.
Husbands are to love their wives, meeting their needs in the same way they take care of their own needs. Does this describe your marriage?
Wives are to respect their husbands. As a wife, this leads me to ask, “Do I respect my husband at all times? Or do I grumble behind his back? Do I respect him when I talk about him to my friends?”
May we always aim to love and respect one another, when we are together and when we are apart.
7. Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Here, Paul expands on this love that husbands are to offer their wives. They are to love them as Christ loved the church.
Christ willingly put the needs of his people in front of his needs. He laid down his rights to serve them. He ultimately gave his life for the church.
When a husband loves his wife in these ways, she will be able to joyfully follow one of the most challenging commands for women. Let’s look at it in our next verse.
8. Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Let’s begin by noting that all believers are to submit to one another. Jesus submitted to the Father. This was not an act of weakness, but strength.
It was a willful act of following his Father’s leadership. Jesus and the Father are equals in every way.
Yet the authority structure called Jesus to submit to his Father’s will. The beauty is that the Father’s will offered the perfect path for the Son to follow.
When husbands love their wives with self-sacrificing love, as Christ loved the church, following this leadership is a gift for a wife. She knows her husband will not lead her astray. She is also liberated from the weight of making all the decisions.
Of course, there are times when husbands abuse these words and misunderstand them.
In these cases, wives are to turn to the Lord for direction. If a husband is abusive or manipulating, if he leads his wife into sin, she is to follow the Lord’s guidance. God never leads us into abuse or manipulation. 
9. 1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Are you holding onto mistakes your spouse has made in the past? If you have worked through these issues and sought reconciliation, it’s time to let go. You might need to meet with a therapist to help you. If this is the case, do so. God wants to heal your marriage.
10. Mark 10:6-9
But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
Before my husband and I were married, a friend quoted this verse and said, “Two cannot become one unless they were first two.”
She was saying that we must know who we are as God’s children, complete and anchored in our identities, if we are to thrive in marriage. Our marriages can only be as strong as the weakest partner.
Seek to heal your own trauma and brokenness. When you are both working on your individual issues, you can come into a marriage as equally yoked partners, and two lives can beautifully become one.
11. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
We were designed to live, grow, and heal with others. God wants marriage to be one of these relationships for growth and healing.
In the Garden of Eden, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” He then made Eve to help Adam.
How are you helping your spouse fulfill his or her God-given calling?
Hopeful Bible Verses for a Struggling Marriage
12. Mark 10:9
What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
Many forces will try to divide your marriage. A battle takes place in the spiritual realm. Satan wants to destroy your marriage.
Never forget that your spouse is not your enemy; Satan is your enemy, and he comes to destroy.
Fight for your marriage by praying, seeking professional therapy, and aiming to follow Jesus’ example of selfless love.
13. Colossians 3:12
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Our marriages would be restored if we learned to exemplify these traits.
How can you contribute to your marriage by extending compassion, humility, kindness, meekness, and patience?
14. Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
Our lives bear good fruit when we remain connected to the Vine, Jesus. Invest in your marriage by pursuing Christ.
Read your Bible. Pray. Gather with other believers to worship. Talk to God as you go about your days.
As you draw near to Jesus, he will help you bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Your spouse will be drawn to these characteristics. Your marriage will move in a healthy direction.
15. Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Our thoughts matter. Rather than thinking critical thoughts about your spouse, take every thought captive.
Aim to cultivate gratitude for the good things your spouse offers. Don’t dwell on the negatives. Change your thoughts, and you can change your marriage.
Final Thoughts on These Bible Verses for a Struggling Marriage
We honor God when we do everything we can to pursue unity and restoration in our marriages. If your marriage is struggling today, I encourage you to seek sound biblical counseling. Pray and ask God to heal your marriage. Apply these Bible verses for a struggling marriage to your relationship. Marriage requires effort, but God wants your marriage to flourish.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention, All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Daily Devotional to Help You Trust God While You Wait
If these Bible verses for a struggling marriage blessed you, I have a gift for you. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. These pages are your invitation to stop striving in self-effort and let God do what you’ve been unable to do for yourself. We will create space to let God set us free from fear, worry, stress, shame, besetting sins, and more. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
