The Art of Compromise

This verse is so important, and it shows the blessings that await couples who choose to live in unity with each other. Agreement is so powerful! If God can find two people on earth who will agree with what He asks, He says, “Anything that those two people ask, I will do it.”

Living in unity and agreement is especially important for a married couple. If you want to have a successful and enjoyable relationship, it’s going to require you to walk in love and unity…and avoid living in strife.

What is strife? The dictionary defines strife as “bickering, arguing, a heated disagreement, or an angry undercurrent.” Our enemy, Satan, works endlessly to try and fill our lives with strife—our marriages, businesses, churches, schools, and relationships. Why? Because he knows how powerful it is when God’s children walk in peace and unity. Psalm 133:1 (NIV) says, How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Strife is especially detrimental in a marriage relationship. That’s why it’s important to get all traces of it out of your home and commit to living in agreement. Even if you have opposing views, it’s still possible to “disagree agreeably” without causing strife. I’m not saying you have to think exactly the same thing, but if you respect one another, you can disagree with manners by saying, “Well, honey, I don’t really agree with that, but we don’t have to agree all the time.”

For example, God has done so much for Dave and me since we have declared war on strife. With His help, we have learned to humble ourselves to the point that we don’t have to be right all the time. So many arguments are started over some nitpicky thing that doesn’t make any difference at all, such as whether to go left or right out of the subdivision when both streets eventually lead to the same place. (Yes, we actually had this argument!)

A place of agreement—a place of peace—is the safest, most powerful place to be. Even though I am strong willed, I won’t do things that Dave does not agree with because I know the importance of unity. The only way I go ahead with something he doesn’t agree with is when we agree that we can disagree agreeably. In other words, it might not be what he would do, but he will allow me to do it without any animosity. It took us a long time to work through all these various things, but thank God we have, and so can you.

Starting today, determine in your heart that you will take a new look at every disagreement you have with your spouse. Begin to think about what God can do for you if you come together in agreement. Because when you choose to live in unity, you are strengthening your relationship…and inviting God’s blessings into every area of your marriage.

_{Adapted from the book Making Marriage Work by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2000 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.}