Marriage Under-Construction: Do you understand each other?

I loved the television show, Home Improvement.  I still do.  You can watch some of the episodes on youtube.  For me, I couldn't wait for that familiar tune and manly grunt to start the shoe.  One particular episode, Tim was not understanding what his wife Jill was saying to him.  Later on in the show, Tim is talking about saftey on the job site and how good communication makes for a safe place to work.  Holding a stop sign in the air, Tim said, "When a man, holding a stop sign, says 'stop', he means stop.  If a women held up a stop sign, it would mean, "If you really knew me, you'd know what this means."  And over the next ten minutes Tim and Jill would learn how to communicate so that each other knows what the other means.

There are times that I don't understand my wife.  I'm sure she would say the same thing about me.  There are moments I tell you that we are speaking a foreign language to each other.  Have you ever felt that way with someone you love?  How do we pull this thing together?

1.  God's Word teaches us to listen for understanding and then respond thoughtfully.  James 1:19 says to be quick to listen.  To really understand what the other is saying.  Then you can respond well.  How is your listening skills? Are you really listening or are you just quiet, thinking about how to respond?  Do you find yourself really understanding what the other is saying?  How often are you saying, "I'm sorry. I misunderstood what you were saying,"? 

2.  Be willing to forgive each other for the lack of understanding and seek to understand.  Colossians 3:13 says to forgive each other with the same intensity as Jesus forgives you your sin.  Are you will to forgive them?  Can you accept the fact that misunderstandings happen?  Will you do your best to communicate more clearly?

I remember this saying, "Seek to understand, then to be understood."

Ask God to help you and your spouse to understand each other better and as you do, God will improve your marriage!