The Marriage ToolkitSample

The Art of Communication

If you are dating, engaged, a newlywed, or have been married for a while, you already know how important communication is in a relationship. However, you have also discovered how difficult it can be to communicate effectively with another person.

We communicate with our spouses every day. In fact, a marriage is one extensive line of dialogue between two people. The problem is, we all have different communication styles.

There are times in marriage when it just seems like you and your spouse are speaking different languages. Although this can be frustrating, we need to understand three things about communication.

Communication is a gift that should be appreciated.

The ability to communicate is such a good gift from God. It is the tool we use to pray and connect with the Father. It is the way we express ourselves to Him through worship and dialogue.

It is also the way we get to connect with our spouses on a deeper level and work together as a team to make decisions. Communicating is the way we let our spouses know how much they mean to us and how much we love them.

Communication is also an art that must be practiced.

Just like we need to have an active prayer life to stay connected to the Father, we must have an active communication style with our spouses to stay connected to them. We must practice and grow in the way we communicate with our spouses so our marriages will grow and prosper.

Communication without restraint can be a weapon.

Communication is a great tool, but when used incorrectly, it can also be a weapon according to Proverbs 12. We can use our words to build up or to tear down. In marriage, we should always be in pursuit of unity, and when needed, reconciliation. Our words have the power to heal, but they also have the power to cut like a sword.

By using restraint, we can use our words as a tool to build our spouses up instead of tearing them down.

Many marriages have grown because of proper communication, but many marriages have crumbled because words were used as weapons.

Choose your words wisely and your marriage will grow!

Prayer

Lord, You gave us the gift of communication and I’m so thankful for it. This is the way that my spouse and I can grow closer together and close to You. Help me to practice and grow in the way I communicate with my spouse. Help me to use my words to grow our marriage and not as weapons to harm it. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Action

Set aside quality time without distractions to communicate with your spouse in a way that brings harmony, not discord.