Walls…. they are meant to protect. The walls of our home protect us from the elements of nature. Walls around cities protect the inhabitants from outside enemies. But when we put up walls around our heart, for whatever reason, it can tear apart relationships. We put up emotional walls when we’ve been hurt or disappointed as a means to protect us from being hurt again in the same way. These kinds of walls close out people and come between marriage partners. Instead, we need to have healthy communication and dialogue so that we can say, “Honey, it hurts me when…” Then you open the door for repentance and forgiveness.
The Bible teaches us three ways we can conquer the walls we’ve built with in our marriage. First, don’t let the sun go down on your wrath (Eph. 4:26-27). Be quick to talk things through and don’t let them fester. Second, forgive and forget (Jer 31:34). In other words, don’t keep bringing it back up time and time again. Forgive and let it go. Third, keep loving each other earnestly (1 Peter 4:8) and be imitators of Christ (Eph 5:1). After you conquer climbing the rock wall, have lunch together and share with each other one thing that has been hurtful and seek forgiveness…then work to avoid that hurt again.
