An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.Proverbs 27:5-6
If you’re like most couples, you will arrive at a point in your relationship (likely multiple points) where, instead of sharing your feelings and trying to resolve differences, you will be tempted to ask yourself, Why bother? Don’t make that mistake. Once communication lines are down between you and your spouse, it may be difficult to restore them.
Maintaining communication with your spouse will take a boatload of patience and persistence. At times, you may feel like you’re beating your head against a wall. Take some aspirin, and keep pounding. Eventually, your work will pay off.
Never assume that silence or indifference is preferable to conflict. It’s not. As the above passage from Proverbs makes clear, sincerity is always better than buried feelings. Truthful responses can be painful, but they can also bring healing and genuine communication. As long as you and your spouse are interacting and actively trying to resolve your differences, there’s hope. When you stop talking, hope dies. Keep your relationship on the front burner. Neglect your relationship, and you will poison your intimacy. Talking and listening are the ways we learn to work together as a team, and that’s what a growing marriage is all about.
Father, thank you for the reminder that we should not avoid conflict at all costs. Please help me to remember that communicating is always worth it, even when it feels frustrating. Help me to take the hard path through the conflict, not the easier but ultimately dangerous path around the conflict.
This is an excerpt from: Love Language Minute Devotional
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