Have you ever noticed an area of dead or browning vegetation where the surrounding area is green? Or a rotten egg smell in the yard? Or hissing or blowing sounds coming from beneath the earth? Or dirt blowing into the air? Or bubbling in a flooded area? Or fire coming out of the ground? If so, don’t ignore these signs. If you do, boom! Everything in your world might suddenly explode, simply because you didn’t pay attention to the signs of a natural gas leak.
Similarly, a pattern of ignoring signs that something is not right in our own lives can create enormous destruction, hurting ourselves and others. Here are a few signs, for instance, that married couples should never ignore:
- yelling and name calling
- violent disagreements
- feeling misunderstood most of the time
- rarely or never having sex
- constant television or computer use
- repetitive conflicts with no resolution
- rarely engaging in meaningful conversation
- desire to escape
Ignoring these and other symptoms of marital discord can create bigger problems that may eventually destroy the marriage.
Similarly, whether you are single or married, you can’t afford to ignore emotions and behaviors that are often symptoms of deeper problems, things like frequent crying spells, overeating, undereating, irritability, indecisiveness, drug or alcohol abuse, isolation, anxiety, forgetfulness, or fatigue.
It can be hard to face up to the tension and stress that’s building inside us. We’d rather ignore it. But doing so makes it impossible to get the help we need—and there is help. Today, if you sense something is not right, ask God for the courage to face it and the wisdom to know where to get help.
