Did you know that a healthy marriage is not free from conflicts?

Conflicts are normal in close friendships and certainly in a marriage. How you work through such difficulties will be a key indicator of your fulfillment in marriage.

So…how do you have a “good fight” where your marriage wins?

Remember that a conflict exposes an issue that will lead to isolation if it is not faced honestly and promptly. As you focus on the issue without assuming wrong motives or attacking your partner, seek God’s wisdom in understanding your spouse rather than winning the argument. This will require the discipline of listening and the art of asking questions.

Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry and eager to forgive is the biblical path which transforms a cause for isolation into a catalyst for greater intimacy.

~ Ken Horton

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third installment in a four-part series about marriage.