The initial thrill of a new relationship almost always entails getting to know the one you love, inside and out. We yearn to find out what makes them tick and how we can use it to please them, what drives them crazy being careful to avoid them at all cost, what scares them so that we can do the best to protect them against it. In short, we strive to understand each other's heart. But years pass by and we lose this initial thrill and along with it, we lose interest in understanding our spouses. They become less intriguing as we assume we already know all there is to know. We've seen enough flaws and witnessed too many imperfections. The kids become priority, the chores pile up, work overwhelms and our spouses take a back seat. And when we stop understanding them, we fail to remedy the issues that arise and aren't able to help them unload their baggage. As we get caught up with the everyday things we fail to ask questions, to listen, to seek discernment from God. These days, I strive to understand my husband in ways I never have. I go out of my way to understand his love language and how it plays with mine and the kids. I am intentional in asking how he is and how his day went. I carve out time to sit down and make that time all about him. And I tell you, the results are way beyond what I had imagined it can do to my marriage. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain.
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Lord, in the past years I felt I already knew all there was to know about my loved one. I thought I knew everything about the man I married and so somewhere along the way, I stopped striving to know him altogether. I did not realize that there will always be more to discover over the years. My desire to learn more about my spouse waned while accusing him of not making an effort to get to know the woman that I was. Spark that desire once more, Father. Come between us and pull us back towards each other, remind us of the beauty of each other's heart. Teach me to patiently draw out the silent water running deep within him, to listen to him and not just hear, to discover each other's dreams and fears, to pursue those dreams and conquer those fears together. Amen.
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. -- Proverbs 3:13
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Lord, in the past years I felt I already knew all there was to know about my loved one. I thought I knew everything about the man I married and so somewhere along the way, I stopped striving to know him altogether. I did not realize that there will always be more to discover over the years. My desire to learn more about my spouse waned while accusing him of not making an effort to get to know the woman that I was. Spark that desire once more, Father. Come between us and pull us back towards each other, remind us of the beauty of each other's heart. Teach me to patiently draw out the silent water running deep within him, to listen to him and not just hear, to discover each other's dreams and fears, to pursue those dreams and conquer those fears together. Amen.
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. -- Proverbs 3:13