When my husband Ted and I tied the knot, I hated conflict. As in, a lot.
I viewed it as an enemy. A villain of sorts. One that, if forced to face, would sabotage my personal comfort. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’re not too fond of it either.
The truth is that conflict is uncomfortable. Resolving it well demands that we die to ourselves and our personal agendas. Sometimes a little. Other times a lot.
But what I’ve learned over the last eleven years of marriage is that conflict isn’t an enemy. Rather, when approached well, conflict can be an adventure.
An adventure?
Compare it to whitewater rafting. It takes teamwork to navigate safely through the turbulent waters. Once the raft is back on dry land, its passengers are stronger for having conquered the rapids … together.
The same is true in marriage. When Ted and I navigate conflict together with the goal of coming out stronger as team, it becomes an adventure. A feat we can face — and conquer — side-by-side, not back-to-back.
If you’re struggling with how to resolve conflict in your marriage, here are three communication tools that have proven helpful to Ted and me.
[Read the rest of the article at For the Family.]
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