Someone once defined communication as “any modus operandi by or through which eventuates the reciprocal transposition of information between and among entities or groups via commonly understood systems of symbols, signs, or behavioral patterns of activity.” Got it? You may want to stop, go back and read it again. Or, you may be like most and simply stop reading altogether.
Given the number of communication difficulties there are in the world, due a great deal to our tendency to be self-focused and prideful, one of the things that I am thankful for on a daily, if not hourly basis, is that the God who wants to know me personally has approached me in terms that I can readily understand. I think it has a lot to do with His nature. God is completely honest with nothing to hide. He has no problem telling us when we fail or when we succeed and why. He has no trouble telling you about His plans, designs and purposes. There are no surprises, hidden agendas and manipulations.
That doesn’t sound much like the way we communicate, where the words and acts of others are filtered through our own experiences and thoughts. That may produce a twisted version of what someone may have originally intended, leaving us to sort out what went wrong and why. We assure ourselves that the reason for any lack of communication couldn’t possibly be us. We have bias and prejudice, and while some of that may be good, it can lead to many problems with how we interact.
In order to communicate effectively, one must begin from a platform of honesty and openness. This is true whether one talks about couples or his or her relationship with God. That means you must open yourself and allow vulnerability. Begin that journey now by laying before God not only the positive things for which you are thankful, but asking for His help in those areas where you need to be more open to His influence. Tell Him in clear terms how thankful you are and what you need (Matthew 6:9–13; 1 John 3:22).
