You’ve opened my ears so I can listen.
Psalm 40:6
I’m an aficionado of military movies. And there’s certain lines and terms that you can count on hearing frequently. For some reason, especially in movies involving ships, you’ll hear the term: warning shot.
A warning shot is a military and/or police term describing an intentionally harmless shot toward the opposition. The intention of the shot is to get the attention of the party at hand letting them know you mean business. The warning shot doesn’t harm or hurt anyone. It’s what I call the “attention grabber.” It tells the opposing person that if you do not head the “warning shot”, consequences will follow.
I’m not being a proponent of firing a shot, both literal and physical, at/toward your spouse. But there are subtle things that happen in a marriage that are the “attention grabbers” of your relationship. Many times, these are not intentionally done by a spouse. They’re the subtle responses to situations that are not completely healthy. But to ignore these “warning shots” is to inviting the issuing circumstances.
10 warning shots to take notice of:
1. Taking for granted “The Big 5.” They consist of:
- “I love you.”
- “Will you forgive me?”
- “I forgive you.”
- “Thank you.”
- “You’re welcome.”
2. Love languages are becoming a side issue. I think couples should monitor the changes in their love languages as they get older. The seasons of life change you. What used to speak to your spouse may not speak to them now. Take time to read, talk, pray, and discover each other all over again. The pursuit will feed the passion.
3.The schedule doesn’t allow you to worship or pray together. We are more than physical beings. We are spiritual as well. When the two became one, the two were meant to experience everything together…including worship. If the schedule is preventing time of spiritual refreshing, something needs to change. When you can’t remember the last time you haven’t prayed together, served together, or worshiped together, they’re subtle hints that spiritual intimacy needs to be a priority.
4. The decisions you used to make together are now being decided without the other. This is a sign that communication and unified decision-making are beginning to break down. It always starts off with the little things.
5. Sex isn’t happening. My love language is “Physical Touch” so this isn’t a subtle hint. But for those of you who are not driven physically, if sex isn’t happening in a healthy frequency (no magic number for that), it’s a definite sign that something needs to change. The heart should drive the mood. Both spouses should possess the heart of a servant to make sure that the most intimate needs of their spouse is being served. As I’ve always said, “you are the only one that can meet that need in your spouse.”
6. There’s much more tolerance for what you never tolerated before. There’s freedom in Christ and there’s just cashing in on Godly standards. Your entertainment, conversations, thought-life, and private time should have healthy Godly boundaries. If they’re not attended to, it amazing me what gets past them and desires to take root in our lives.
7. “This is your problem not mine.” becomes a common line. This is one of many quotes that shows the breakdown of oneness in a marriage. “Mine” and “yours” are natural words used by couples whose unity is beginning to erode away. Take notice on how much they’re being used and in the context they’re being used. Take a step back and realize: you are in this together. Make sure your words follow suit.
8. Date night? I hear couples joke “Does that happen anymore?” and it makes me cringe every time. When you can’t remember when it’s happened last, it’s a sure sign that you desperately need time alone. It doesn’t have to cost much if anything at all. Take a walk. Go on a drive. Do something together.
9. Kids are higher priority than the marriage. I know you have such a short window of time to raise your children. I’m a firm believer that kids are a high priority…just behind my spouse. I don’t neglect or ignore my kids. BUT…my wife is a higher priority. She needs to know that. My kids need to see that. This is why so many people get divorced after 20-25 years of marriage. Everything was poured into the kids and nothing into the marriage.
10. There’s more talk about what you DON’T have than what you DO have. Envy is a killer of joy in your marriage. It wants to guide your eyes and heart to what others have and what you lack. You end up forgetting the blessings of God because you can’t see them past all of the “stuff” that should be yours. “If only I/we had it.” is a lie. Why? Because when you do get “it”, you’ll still continue to say that line.
My prayer for you is that of Psalms 40:6. That you would be able to say, God “opened my ears so I can listen.” Ask the Lord to open up your 5 senses to hear the subtle things that you haven’t noticed before. If you see these things, they are the attention grabbers that are screaming at you saying, “it’s time to attend to your marriage.”
Don’t grow deaf to the “warning shots.” Open up your senses and listen.
Thanks for letting me ramble…
