Lesson Nine: Consecrate Our Marriage

The definition of consecration is make or declare something as sacred. When I asked my husband what it meant, we additionally came up with to give, bless and serve. When we consecrate our marriages, we are declaring our marriages as sacred and we show this by giving of ourselves to bless and serve our spouses. Neal A. Maxwell said this, “Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory. It brings release from the raucous, over-populated cell block of selfishness and emancipation from the dark prison of pride.”

There are many ways in which we consecrate our marriages. As I’ve been studying forgiveness this week and pondering pride and humility from the week before, I thought how closely related both humility and forgiveness are and how necessary it is to have both in a consecrated marriage. Forgiveness within marriage is essential, and we must have humility to forgive those who have hurt us. Each of us make many mistakes and when we forgive our spouse we are humbly recognizing that we all have weaknesses and have need to forgive and to be forgiven. Pres. Faust in his talk in 2007 titled The Healing Power of Forgiveness, said this, “those who are taught to forgive are less angry, more hopeful, less depressed, less anxious, less stressed, which leads to greater physical well-being."

My husband has been a wonderful example to me of both of these characteristics which has helped set the tone for a consecrated marriage. He is often the first to apologize and also is easily to forgive before I’ve even come around to ask for forgiveness. This has been a huge blessing in our marriage and I try to follow his example. As I’ve practiced this more recently and have quickly apologized to my husband instead of letting my pride get in the way, I have felt small victories over selfishness and pride which Elder Maxwell describes. My husband and I consecrate ourselves and our marriage by attending the temple regularly, and by studying the scriptures and strengthening our testimonies of the Savior. We try to put each other’s needs before our own, and encourage each other to become the best we can be.