HOW TO GET YOUR SPOUSE TO THINK YOUR WAY

10 Apr

Number 1:

To Win the Argument, Avoid It.

Nine times out of ten, arguments end with each person more convinced they are right.

Why make your spouse feel uncomfortable?

Why put your spouse in an embarrassing situation?

If you are not asked for your opinion, they don’t want it, so why argue?

Shouldn’t you let your spouse save face?

If you prove your spouse wrong, is that going to make them like you?

THINK, how much better could it be if you are not argumentative?

Do you know how to get the best of an argument? AVOID IT!!

Arguments can be avoided. God hates arguments!!! Prov. 6:17-19 “…these six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him…an heart that deviseth (thinks) wicked imaginations…and he that soweth discord (stirs up trouble and anger) among brethren.”

An important thing to keep in mind is that your spouse probably has ”goodwill” about what they are saying.

Would you rather have a victory or your spouses’ “goodwill?” You seldom can have both of them.

‘Goodwill’ is the friendly hope that something (or someone) will succeed.

The truth of the matter is that your spouse probably truly wants to help you succeed.

Don’t, DON’T, Don’t let the devil lie to you.

CASE AND POINT: When my daughter was in her early teens she asked me to take her to a Christian rock festival. It was an all day affair. I don’t like rock music and I was dreading it. Every other day my husband would mention it and start laughing at me. I was furious but I didn’t want him to know he was getting to me. Finally one day I couldn’t take it anymore. I told him in private to “knock it off.” He was shocked when I told him how mad I was at him constantly laughing and making me mad. He told me that I was so wrong in my conclusion. He told me he knows how I can’t stand the hard rock, yet I am totally willing to make our daughter happy. His words made me feel so good, that I almost wanted to go after he said that. I went and I believe the “Newsboys” or some group like that was there cause there was an array of groups. It was an excellent sound with choreography and I had a great time.

This kind of incident happens occasionally but I have decided to believe my spouses’ intentions are with “goodwill.”‘

DON’T GIVE THE DEVIL THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT!!!! GIVE YOUR SPOUSE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT!!!!

Let me say it again: Give your SPOUSE the benefit of the doubt!!!!

DO NOT GIVE THE GOODWILL TO THE DEVIL.!!

Prov.29:20 “Seesth thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.”

Here are some suggestions for how to keep a disagreement from becoming an argument. This is from Bits and Pieces, published by The Economic Press.

Welcome the disagreement.

If there is some point you haven’t thought about, be thankful if it is brought to your attention. Perhaps this disagreement is your opportunity to be corrected before you make a serious mistake.

Distrust your first instinctive impression.

Our first natural reaction in a disagreeable situation is to be defensive. Be careful. Keep calm and watch out for your first reaction. It may be you at your worst, not your best.

Control your temper.

Remember, you can measure the size of a person by what makes him or her angry.

Listen first.

Give your spouse a chance to talk. Let them finish. Do not resist, defend or debate. This only raises barriers. Try to build bridges of understanding. Don’t build higher barriers of misunderstanding.

Look for areas of agreement.

When you have heard your spouse out, dwell first on the points and areas on which you agree.

Be honest.

Look for areas where you can admit error and say so. Apologize for your mistakes. It will help disarm your spouse and reduce defensiveness.

Promise to think over your spouses’ ideas and study them carefully.

And mean it. Your spouse may be right. It is a lot easier at this stage to agree to think about their points than to move rapidly ahead and find yourself in a position where your spouse can say: “We tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Thank your spouse sincerely for their interest.

Anyone who takes the time to disagree with you is interested in the same things you are. Think of your spouse as someone who really wants to help you, and remember that you want to remain friendly to each other.

Postpone action to give both sides time to think through the problem.

Suggest that a new meeting be held later that day or the next day, when all the facts may be brought to bear.

Job 6:25 “How forcible are right words! But what doth your arguing reprove (prove)?

NOTE: Don’t miss tomorrow’s post which is a continuation of this series “How to get your spouse to think your way.”