A good marriage is arguably one of the most difficult things to build and maintain; and yet, when done properly, it can be a very fulfilling and rewarding relationship.
However, spouses don't always see eye to eye. To avoid this, Pastor Dave Willis shared on his blog five things husbands wished their wives knew about them.
The first revelation is that husbands are desperate for their wives' respect. "When a husband feels respected by his wife, he believes he can take on the world. When he feels that his wife doesn't believe in him, he will carry deep, hidden wounds," warned Willis.
He told wives that even though husbands aren't acting very respectable right now, they should still try and find something in him to praise and respect. Willis said the praise and admiration will undoubtedly motivate the husband to keep earning and building his wife's belief in him.
Next, husbands want their wives to take a genuine interest in things that interest him. True, most husbands and wives have different hobbies. But Willis said the happiest couples find opportunities to share these experiences together.
"Maybe your husband loves sports and you hate sports. You might never be the kind of fan he is. But if you take the time to learn the rules of the game and learn some facts about his favourite team and players, he would be blown away and would love the opportunity to talk with you about it," suggested Willis.
Third, Willis said their wives' happiness weigh heavily on them. In the same way, when wives are stressed out, then their husbands are stressed as well.
"As a wife, you are the 'thermostat' of your home whether your realise it or not," he said. "A thermostat sets the temperature in the home. You have the power of creating a more welcoming, stress-reducing climate in the home OR you also have the power to create a more stressful tone in the home."
Fourth, it is important for husbands that their wives make great moms, but they don't want to feel like one of the kids. He also doesn't like that wives value motherhood more than being a wife. Being a parent requires a lot of time and attention. But spouses need to have the kind of marriage that makes their kids excited to get married someday.
"Make time for your husband. Don't treat him like another kid and don't treat him like an interruption. He should do the same for you," said Willis.
Lastly, husbands want to be loved for who they really are. Even though the wife has nothing but the best intentions in trying to improve her husband, it does not always come out that way.
"In an attempt to bring out his best, she'll try to bring about 'improvements' in him. But to him, it feels like he's not accepted or loved as he is," explained Willis. "It's good to bring out the best in your husband, but do it through encouragement and letting him know often that you love him for who he is."
