"When we see our marriage as something more than our own romance or our own ‘story,’ as a journey ‘on the way’ to holiness, then we focus less on small annoyances, changeable emotions, and the distractions of the world.”
-St. John Chrysostom
Let’s embrace this truth today:
I have the great privilege of being a life-long student of my spouse.
I have not learned everything there is to know about him/her.
Class is always in session, and I choose to enjoy the journey.
When you have a disagreement, choose to be CURIOUS rather than CORRECT. It will ensure that the conflict draws you closer to each other as a result. Disagreements are opportunities to learn more about each other, which leads to deeper intimacy.
The key to conflict resolution is not listening to respond, but listening to understand. When mutual understanding is achieved, the sting of an argument is removed.
“Listening is an action; you have to commit to it. And you can’t do that if you don’t get out of your own head. If you stay inside yourself, the voice you hear will be your own, and not your loved one’s."
-John Gottman in his book, Eight Dates
Pursuing intimacy with our spouse will always expose something in us that needs to change. It’s part of the journey. It must be embraced if true intimacy is going to be experienced.