Communication: 5 Habits for Hearing and Being Heard the Healthy Way

Communication is not just about saying and hearing words—it's all about relaying ideas accurately with the intent of building a mutual understanding. When you practice healthy habits for talking, listening, and processing together, it's for the good of your marriage and ultimately, for the glory of God.

If we are to have marriages that are healthy, enjoyable, and intentional, we must learn and apply wise principles to how we communicate. We must heed Solomon's words in Proverbs 18:2:
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in expressing his opinion.
Bad communication habits can stifle growth, inhibit intimacy, and create endless spouts of bickering, arguing, and division. However, healthy communication will fuel growth and intimacy and make your marriage resilient against otherwise devastating disagreements.

In today's podcast, we discuss biblical themes for healthy communication, why we are called to point our spouses to the gospel through how we listen, and five tangible steps (habits) that lead us down the path toward healthier communication.

Mentioned in Today's Show:

Resource: 5 Indispensable Habits for Rock Solid Communication
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Learn more about The 31-Day Pursuit Challenge, our couple's devotional.
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Show Notes:
Communication: 5 Habits for Hearing and Being Heard the Healthy Way

Highs and Lows
Dysfunction in marriage often manifests itself first through communication
Two themes in scripture around communication:
A call to wisdom: be slow to speak, fast to listen, fast to wait
Intentional communication with the purpose of being understood and understanding others

Communication corruptors create unintentional misunderstandings
Five habits for healthier communication:
Talk intentionally
Listen intently
Seek Understanding
Act out of Love
Rest in Your Covenant

Couple's Challenge (see below)
Rapid Fire Q&A
Read a letter from a wife to her husband
Housekeeping and announcements
Prayer

Today's Couples Challenge:

Listen to the podcast. Talk through the above points. Create a set of ground rules that protect your marriage against common pitfalls in your communication. Examples:

We won't start heavy conversations after we're both tired.
We will always resolve hard conversations.
We will not use hurtful language or namecalling when angry.
We understand that it's sometimes healthiest to step away from the situation to think and pray.
Etc...

Don't forget!

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Do you have a question?

If you have a question, ask! During each episode, we encourage listeners to share their stories, ask questions, or write letters to their loved ones. Anything goes... Just go to https://fiercemarriage.com/podcast to leave a question, comment, or story.