Patterns Of Communication

Patterns of Communication

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

ALL OF US ARE COMMUNICATORS. The question is, what kind of communicators? Simply put, communication is sharing life with another. It is the process whereby two individuals choose to reveal some of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences to each other.

On the surface level, communication seems simple enough. One may wonder why research indicates that lack of communication is one of the major problems in relationships. One reason is that our emotions often get in the way of genuine interaction. Feelings of hurt, anger, fear, disappointment, frustration, or low self-esteem often hinder our openness.

In our efforts to maintain emotional stability, we develop various patterns of communication. After a while, we are not even aware of these patterns; we are simply doing what comes naturally to us. Chances are that you, as individuals and as a couple, have developed some positive patterns and also some negative.

In the next few days, we will explore some of the negative patterns we can fall into and seek to change them. As the psalmist says above, we want the words that come from our mouths—and especially those directed to our spouse—to be helpful, loving, and pleasing to God.

Lord Jesus, I’m grateful for the things my spouse and I can share. Please help us to be willing to consider how we can improve our communication.

Communication