A few weeks back, Selena and I had a new style of argument. I guess I’ll call it “repressed yelling” (with an infant at home, volume is now a luxury we can’t afford). Funny thing though, as I write this I don’t even remember what we were arguing about – it must have been something trivial. I only truly recall something about feeling misunderstood.
I didn’t care about what was actually being said (otherwise I would remember). I only cared about being understood. Even now I remember how frustrated I felt when Selena misunderstood me (and how frustrated she felt when I misunderstood her). Being misunderstood is perhaps one of life’s most frustrating occurrences.
This is our human tendency isn’t it? We want so badly not to be misunderstood. We wear clothes, say certain things, purchase things, and make life decisions based on defining ourselves to the world. Whole movements are devoted to disseminating understanding and diffusing misunderstanding. These movements surround human rights issues, animal rights issues, political agendas, worldviews, and the list goes on (Christianity included).
We’re Not Immune, Not in the Least
If you follow our Facebook page closely you may have seen two semi-controversial posts recently. The controversy was entirely unintended and was a result of me not understanding our audience and being misunderstood by our readers. I won’t mention details here since, frankly, I don’t want to perpetuate the misunderstanding. I’ve consciously chosen to keep the posts live as a learning moment for us and our readers. Feel free to check them out if you’d like.
Being misunderstood, especially online, grieves me more than most things. It can take days to shake off a heated debate (social media debates are largely unfruitful anyways, so I try not to engage too much).
As our audience grows I know this phenomenon will be magnified. We’re bound to be “called to the carpet” on what we say. This is a sobering reminder that teachers (which I believe includes writers/bloggers such as ourselves) are held to a higher standard – by God and by those taught. (James 3)
Handling Being Misunderstood
I’ve been thinking about how to handle being misunderstood to help me cope with the inevitable scrutiny. I’ve also been contemplating ways to handle being misunderstood the next time it happens in our marriage. Â Here’s what I’m learning:
1: Find your identity & security only in Christ
Christ understands you. He sees you from afar (Psalm 138:6), he designed and crafted you from within (Psalm 139:13-14), and he knows what it’s like to be human and to be tested (Hebrews 4:15). I hope this doesn’t roll off your back as cliche. You are KNOWN. This is the first point because the rest will flow from this. If you know who you are in Christ, you can proceed with that knowledge and his perspective in mind.
For example, maybe “being right” isn’t important at this moment. Maybe you just need to extend grace because your spouse hurting or not in a place to be corrected.
2: Keep perspective
Arguments have a way of getting the blood flowing. When you’re in the middle of an argument where you’re feeling misunderstood, you want to get things off your chest. It’s crucial to keep a cool head. Remember the context and the ‘bigger picture’. This takes a strong person to step away emotionally to really try and see things how Christ sees them.
Take a deep breath, ask Jesus for clarity and perspective, and follow his lead. There were times when Jesus unexpectedly overturned tables in the temple (Matthew 21) and others when he unexpectedly extended grace (ex. the adulterous woman in John 8).
3: Stay humble & teachable
Maybe you’re misunderstanding more than you’re being misunderstood? Don’t automatically assume you’re right. Turn the magnifying glass inward, check your own motives, thoughts, and intentions. If you realize you were wrong in what you said or how you said it, simply apologize. Nothing diffuses an argument more than expressing that you were mistaken and you’re sorry.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt the Holy Spirit convict me mid-argument. I’ve apologized a ton. I’m still working on it, but staying humble and teachable will help get to the core of the argument instead of dancing around its symptoms.
4: Practice wisdom
Not everything is worth fighting for at every moment. Pick your battles and pick your timing with the utmost scrutiny. Even the most comprehensive explanations and justifications are horrible when applied at a bad time. If you’re misunderstood by your spouse on a non-crucial issue, maybe let it slide. Give them grace instead of setting the record straight.Mature people understand that not everything is black & white.
There’s lots of gray in the negotiable things and how you navigate differences in opinion on negotiable things can make or break your success in the big things. What good is it getting your way on something trivial if you crush your spouse’s heart in the process?
Anyway, that’s what I’ve been learning. I hope it helps you, our incredible readers. By the way, we’re extremely thankful for you.
Question: What’s one way you handle being misunderstood in your marriage?
Have you heard of the The 31-Day Pursuit Challenge?
Every marriage begins with passion, purpose, and pursuit, but few stay that way. That’s why we wrote Husband in Pursuit and Wife in Pursuit Together, they make what we’re calling the 31-Day Pursuit Challenge. Couples are encouraged take the challenge together. We’re already starting to hear stories of transformed marriages! Are you up for the challenge?
