It hurts to be ignored. To be dismissed. To be disregarded. Within all of us, there is a deep-seated need
to feel heard. When we feel heard, we know we matter. When we do
not feel heard, we feel rejected, discounted, as if we do not matter.
This is true of all relationships, and especially true in marriage.
The 4th axiom of marriage is “We
all have an innate need to feel heard. When you have a voice, you have
value.” In marriage, it is critical to let your spouse know he/she has
a meaningful say in your relationship. Healthy,
respectful communication requires the courage and humility to realize and
acknowledge that—whether it is what you want to hear or not—your spouse has worthwhile
input.
The problem for most, however, is the false belief that if someone does not
agree with me, they have not heard me. When someone cultivates that
erroneous thinking, he/she will go to one of two extremes. On the one
side, you will repeat the same thing over and over, believing your mate is
simply choosing to ignore you. Or you might attempt to present your
beliefs from various angles (though usually it is just rehashing the exact same
thing). Some immediately divert to yelling. (I’ve never understood
why anyone would believe their spouse would say, “You know, when you were
speaking quietly and respectfully I thought you were wrong, but now that your
screaming at me, I can see how right you are.”) Whatever the method, it
becomes an endless tirade of sameness as communication degrades into
questioning the other person’s love, or his/her intelligence (after all wouldn’t
an intelligent person agree with me?), or questioning his/her spiritual nature.
On the other extreme, a person may shut down communication if his/her spouse
disagrees. “Why continue talking if my mate refuses to listen,” is a
common thought process. Once communication is shut down, isolation grows
deeper and deeper, and animosity and hard-heartedness toward one’s mate
increases.
Regardless of the response, communication is destroyed. Blame, anger,
disappointment, and other negative feelings quickly surfaces. If you’re
goal in communication is to make sure that your spouse believes and understands
everything exactly as you do, then you are not participating in a marriage
relationship—you are simply seeking to control another individual.
So what do we do? Even in disagreement, lovingly, gently, and
respectfully acknowledge that you really, truly have heard your mate and you
are aware of his/her feelings and emotions. Accept that you are not
always right, and even if you are right, your mate may need to come to the same
place in a different way or at a different time. Recognize that you have
changed over time—you have not always believed everything you now believe or
thought about everything exactly like you think now. And most significantly,
reaffirm your love for your spouse and your commitment to the
marriage. Pray together and seek Christ’s will and especially Christ’s
peace in your life. Remember, you are one flesh, so listen and respond to
your mate in the same way you would want someone to listen to and respond to
you—EVEN IN DISAGREEMENT.
We all have an innate need to be heard. Actively listening to and hearing
your mate is critical to a healthy marriage. But don’t shut your mate out
just because he/she doesn’t always see everything exactly like you do.
God made us unique for a reason. Use you and your mate’s uniqueness to
help each other grow and mature. And above all else, listen.
___________________
To see the 10 Axioms of Marriage,
click here.
To read a more detailed explanation
of
The 1st Axiom of Marriage,
click here
The 2nd Axiom of
Marriage, click here
The 3rd Axiom of
Marriage, click here
