‘Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ‘ James 1:19(NLT)
‘To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.’ Proverbs 25:12(NLT)
Devotional Content:
There are a number of things in marriage that I don’t get. Much of that is because I am male! There are things that God teaches me in marriage that I still don’t understand. I don’t get that Nancy and I can be so connected when we are communicating well and spending quality time together daily, then have one day of not communicating or spending time together and be back at ground zero. I thought I could build up some equity and take a day or two off. Well, I guess I can take that day or two off, but there is no equity to draw on.
God made male and female differently. Many of those differences we really like, but there are some that leave us scratching our heads as we try to figure them out. The thing God taught me that I do get is to accept the things He teaches me. He knows. I don’t. Most women are much better at conversation than their husbands and even though the talk would go more smoothly with another female friend, they want to talk to us. Our role is to talk and listen and talk and listen. We will get to their role in another reading plan.
Now this is the really cool thing I have learned. When I spend time communicating with Nancy, our marriage is better and I really like that time with her. Once I quit fighting the difference and started embracing it, things turned around and we began to fight less. The better we communicate and listen to each other and seek to understand each other, the less we will fight and the less we fight, the better our marriage!
Today’s Challenge:
How much time do you spend each day communicating with your spouse? Decide as a couple when and how you can spend more quality time together.
Going Deeper:
Each of you make a list of things you could talk about to your spouse. Now you have your conversation starters. Talk!
from Stop The Fighting – Part 1: Breaking The Cycles Of Unhealthy Conflict by Dr. Kim Kimberling