28 Days, 28 Ways: Listen

Welcome to 28 Days, 28 Ways: Investing in Your Marriage! All month long I’ll be sharing ideas and tips for investing in your marriage.  You can find a list of all the posts here.

28 Days 28 Ways: Investing In Your Marriage || TeriLynneUnderwood.com

So, how’s it going? I ask because I’ve found out when I get serious about any aspect of my life that’s when the enemy really wants to attack me … in that area! Here we are at day 7 and if you’ve been reading every post and putting into practice even one or two of the ideas I’ve suggested, you can be you have that “thief who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy” {John 10:10} on edge.

We need to be prepared for his attacks! And if there is one relationship Satan really hates it’s marriage. He wants to destroy our intimacy. He wants to steal our joy. And he wants to kill our love.

I’ve noticed one of the sneaky intrusion of that age-old foe seems to use often is keeping me distracted. When my focus shifts, even a little bit, from being the wife God intended, my selfishness sure does rear it’s ugly head. Anyone else relate?

But I’ve also learned there is a signal when that subtle shift has occurred … I stop listening to my husband.

Listen to Him || Teri Lynne Underwood

I get so wrapped up in what is going on in my world and I stop paying attention to what is going on in his. And here are a couple of signs this has happened:

  • He asks me to do something and I forget … because I really didn’t pay attention when he asked.
  • When he questions me about what he asked me to do, I give a thousand reasons why I couldn’t and why it really wasn’t fair to ask me anyway.
  • I get annoyed when he “interrupts” whatever I’m doing.

There’s an antidote, though. I’m so thankful Scripture speaks to these things, aren’t you? James writes,

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. {James 1:19}

Here’s what I know, selfishness doesn’t listen, talks a lot, and gets angry easily. Selflessness is the opposite.

Today, I urge you to make sure you are listening to your husband. Listen to what he says … and to what he doesn’t. Give him the gift of your full attention.

Do you struggle with being a good listener for your husband?

Cheering you on,
TL

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Comments

  1. This is something I struggle with… I want to be a good listener and am working on this!!! When you are a controller it is easy to just take over because you have your own ideas how things should be and anything less is…well…just wrong!! I have a terrible habit of finishing his thoughts and interrupting so those are things that will improve as I improve on being a good listener!!
    Lord, help me to continue to give up my control and trust you with these areas of my life that need to be submitted to your plans and purposes!! Amen!!

  2. You hit this one on the head for me. Something my husband says constantly to me is that he wishes I would listen more. I listen to those around me all day (my boss, my customers, etc) but when I get home, I seem to only half hear. I don’t know how to fix this. It’s so unintentional on my part. Maybe it’s because I have more than one thing going at a time when I’m at home. But something I really have to work harder on. If I listen more, he will feel more respected. It’s not even that he’s sharing long stories. It’s more something he’d like done or along those lines. I needed to read this today to be reminded of the importance of it:) Thank you!

    • I think we are all guilty of that sometimes, Rachael. The good thing is, once we know we do it, we can work on it. I just keep repeating that verse from James … slow to speak, quick to listen! 🙂 Thank you for your comment today.

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