Prayer is communication with God and is essential to knowing one another. When we recommend to couples that they pray before, during, and after making love they often look shocked. They seem to have the attitude that sex and prayer should be mutually exclusive activities. But our Creator desires to share all of life with us. Prayer is submission under God's authority, and encourages the denial of selfishness, and the forgiveness of any unresolved resentments.
Bitterness is like acid on the one flesh relationship.
Many biblical books are available to help couples learn to communicate in a Christ-like manner. Wayne Mack's book, Your Family God's Way , is an excellent example. We prove this fact every time the phone rings during a childish argument with our spouse. We straighten up and politely answer the phone, because we want to look good publicly. And the right motive, loving God and neighbor above self, will produce consistently Spirit-filled communication.