Missionary Families of Christ
Intimacy Through Listening
February 2020 Young Couples Date Night Topic
Grab
What were the topics of your last conversation with your spouse?
What were the things that you remembered from that conversation?
Grace
Read: Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.”
What are the rewards of listening to your spouse? Listening is the doorway into your spouse’s heart and mind. God told Israel, “I know the plans I have for you… They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). But how was Israel to know what was on God’s heart and mind? Verses 13 and 14 make it clear that they would discover the Lord when they sought him wholeheartedly. God wanted Israel to know his thoughts, but Israel had to listen.
What are you doing to seek to know the thoughts and feelings of your spouse? Listening is the key to good communication. Don’t condemn your spouse for not sharing or talking more. For wives, ask questions, and then listen to your husband’s answers. They may be short at first, especially if your spouse is not the talkative type. But once your spouse realizes that you are truly interested, he will eventually share his thoughts. For the husbands, accept your spouse’s thoughts as interesting, challenging, or fascinating and she will talk more.
Listening to God brings you closer to His heart. Listening to your spouse brings you the same kind of intimacy.
(excerpt from “The One Year: Love Language Minute Devotional” by Gary Chapman)
Gather
For discussion, answer the following question/s:
- What are the habits of your spouse that hinders you from sharing to them more? What posture do you prefer your spouse to have when you are sharing things to them?
- What are the things that you think you need to work on to become an active listener to your spouse?
Go Forth
This month create a list of topics that you want to share with your spouse and make time for meaningful conversation with him/her.