Day 172 - Growing Closer to Your Spouse
Sometimes when a couple loses a child, they react to their confusing emotions by targeting each other. As a result, they begin to grow apart
Quinton and Teresa experienced the death of their daughter. They offer a few suggestions to help you and your spouse grow closer during this time.
- Come together each day and apologize for anything you may have said or done to hurt the other person in the past twenty-four hours. If you do not apologize right away for the small things, they can become magnified in the other person’s eyes and the gap between you will grow.
- Be the first person to give in if there is a disagreement. You do not have to agree with the other person’s view, but acknowledge the parts you do agree with and apologize for any harsh or judgmental words that you said.
- Pray together daily, whether you feel like it or not.
- Say something encouraging to your spouse each day.
- Reflect on the good times together.
- Be sensitive to the other person’s feelings and needs, which may be different from your own.
- Do not isolate yourself from your spouse.
- Attend a Bible study together.
Ephesians 5 offers this advice for husbands and wives: “Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another. Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ…. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting” (21-22, 25 msg).
Dear Lord, sometimes I feel that the gap between my spouse and me is growing larger each day. Please help us to come together again. Amen.