Many of us have come into a marriage where there is baggage that the spouse has brought in with them. They may be past hurts, mindsets, traditions, beliefs, pain, or could even be health issues. It can bring a lot of weight on the relationship when you do not know what is going on or how to fix it.

Let us focus on a spouse that comes into the relationship with an illness or develops a sickness during your marriage. The vow we gave was “in sickness and in health, until death do we part.”

We get so caught up in our own expectations of marriage and some people even get so caught up in their needs for one reason or another that we tend to forget that we are there to be the helpmate to our spouse. We tend to forget that we are there to love one another, and we need to see past our selfish motives in the marriage and see what marriage is all about.

Take a step back and take a look at your spouse that may be dealing with an illness. It could be something as small as a cold or as big as cancer. What are you doing to help be a vessel that God can use to minister healing to your spouse?

So many people do not want to take the few moments it would take to seek God’s face and research what they are dealing with. They are very quick to complain and look at all the negative things that are taking place. “Poor me” and “Look at what I have to deal with.” Some spouses even look at the other spouse being an inconvenience because they are sick. What if you decide to pray and get an outline of what would actually help make the person better and then apply it to your life and walk it out?

In the Word, it speaks of many things that helps make healing take place in your body both physically, mentally, and spiritually. There are times that we read these Scriptures, but we just look at them. We do not really apply them to our lives or to be used to help our spouse or our family.

One of many examples of what you can do to help bring the healing of Jesus is in Proverbs.

Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Laughter is the best medicine for the heart. If your spouse is having heart problems, no matter what kind it may be, are you bringing opportunities to the relationship to make them laugh? Or are you constantly putting them under stress or negative ways of thinking that is breaking their spirit even more?

Another way of looking at this Scripture also is what kind of joy are you to your spouse and to your family? Joy brings life. If you are miserable and not looking at how to solve the problem, but add to the problem, then healing will not be able to take place properly.

When you change your attitude and carry an atmosphere of joy, you shine the light and love of Jesus. As you shine the light and speak good things into the atmosphere, it will bring health. The power in the tongue really does bring life or death. You have to be the one to choose which one you will speak.

Proverbs 15:30 (NIV)
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

If you find you do not have much joy to share and you may be worn out from having a spouse who is sick and may need constant care, prayer, and you have to carry both loads, then you need to spend time in God’s presence to become refilled. You need to get into the Word of God and allow God’s joy to overtake you.

Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

David wrote in the Psalms that as he spent time in the presence of God, he found the joy he needed. It is also where he could be shown the path of life to be walked. The same goes for you and me. As we walk this out in joy, you will see that it not only affects you and brings health and strength to you, but also helps the other person.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Do not be afraid to ask for help when you are taking care of a spouse. You do not have to do it alone. You also want to make sure you do not isolate yourself when you are taking care of your loved one. When you reach out to others who are believers of Christ, they can bring a refreshing, a renewal for you, and a reinforcement in the prayer closet. When you do reach out, you will feel your joy replenish and become full. This will help you gain your strength to continue to move forward and to be the one that your spouse needs and can depend on as they are getting better.

Romans 15:32 (NKJV)
that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.

So as sickness comes across your path, either in your spouse, yourself, a family member, or someone you take care of, speak life into them. Give them “good news” and be a joy in their lives. Joy is contagious and is far greater than a sickness or disease. Allow the presence of God to manifest during these enjoying times and watch healing take place. Get into the Word and find the medicine that you need and apply it. Remember to laugh and to love as Jesus loved. It is real medicine for the heart and the soul and it will manifest healing in the body. For Jesus is love and God’s presence is full of joy and the sickness will have no choice but to be removed.

No longer look at a sickness as an annoyance or a problem without a solution. Call upon the presence of God and allow laughter to ring in your home. You will watch all kinds of healing take place and it will open the door for God to really move and your marriage will not be strained but strengthened.

Think about what are you doing to for your spouse and where do you stand when others in your home are becoming sick or even yourself? Find the truth within yourself, then allow the Truth of Jesus to touch that root of the problem and remove it so that you can be full of joy and watch many become healed and learn to laugh.