The Secret to Husbands Seeing Their Prayers Answered - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - September 15
The Secret to Husbands Seeing Their Prayers Answered
By Lynette Kittle
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”—1 Peter 3:7
Overall, as women, we aren’t really able to offer men relationship advice because, foremost, we’re not men, so there are so many things as women that we don’t, won’t, and will never understand about being one, such as how men truly feel, deep down, about marriage, their wives, their families, and so.
So, as interested observers, sometimes we cautiously offer some thoughts on a possible reason why a husband may not be seeing his prayers answered, based on biblical teaching, pointing out a behavior that may be overlooked by some Christian men.
Our hope in doing so is that men will be encouraged to look deeper inside themselves to consider how they are treating their wives and, through doing so, God will soften and change their hearts along the way to love Him and their wives more deeply.
Why Unanswered Prayers?
As a husband, how is your prayer life? Are you seeing your prayers answered? If not, have you considered why? It might be easier to figure out than you think.
Scripture is pretty clear in 1 Peter 3:7 as to what could be the cause of a husband’s hindered prayer life, outlining reasons why a he may have unanswered prayers. The following are three questions for every Christian husband to ask himself in his relationship with his wife.
Am I considerate of my wife?
Although a husband may pamper his wife in some respects, at the same time, he may be treating her inconsiderately in other ways, not fully realizing the unloving attitudes behind them.
God calls husbands to be mindful of how they treat their wives, living considerately of them because it matters to Him, and can be a hindrance to receiving answers to their prayers, as 1 Peter 3:7 explains.
Do I treat my wife with respect?
The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:10, reminds us to, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
His words include our spouse, as some seem to think it applies to everyone but their spouse. One day while sitting in a hospital waiting room, a husband seated nearby was treating his wife with such disrespect, making jokes at her expense and criticizing her every word and move. It was so disheartening to observe.
Even some wives would disagree, and balk at the idea, 1 Peter 3:7 reminds husbands that their wives are the weaker sex in some ways, so they need to treat them respectfully and not point out their weaknesses, but be gracious and loving to them.
Sadly, some husbands respond to their wives’ questions with sarcastic remarks, thinking their ideas and questions are silly or stupid, which, although some wives may brush their comments off and laugh at them, a “yes” or “no” is much better than sarcasm.
After all, sarcasm is defined as conveying contempt, an attitude that too easily creeps into marriages. Jesus taught in Matthew 5:37 that, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
Do I see my wife as my joint heir in life?
Husbands are called to see their wives as joint-heirs to God’s grace and mercy in their lives. It’s the glue that ultimately helps to keep Christian marriages intact and together as couples through some of life’s rough ups and downs they may encounter in their relationship.
It’s vitally important for believing husbands to recognize that their wives are equally heirs, co-inheritors with Christ before God.
As Paul explains in Romans 8:17: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
Suffering in marriage sometimes comes in going through seasons together where it’s more challenging than other times to keep our commitments to each other, to God, and to glorify Him in our relationship.
Yet, we have God to help us through every season of our marriages, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.
Dear Father, lead husbands to be considerate of their wives, to treat them with respect, and to see them as co-heirs in Christ, so that their prayers will not be hindered. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Carolyn Horlings
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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