The Marriage Prayers That God Hears - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - June 18
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16)
"How can I pray for you," asked the older woman with kind eyes. Laura had long since given up on praying for her marriage. Trying not to reveal her bitter heart, Laura said, "Thanks for the offer, but to be honest, our marriage is too far gone for prayers."
A flood of tears fell when the woman touched Laura's hand. Laura couldn't bear anyone seeing her losing control, so she slipped into the restroom before anyone saw her crying.
Can you feel the angst in Laura's story? How long had she abandoned the idea of praying for her marriage? Had she ever prayed? Or was prayer her last resort––after their marriage trouble seemed more than she could manage on her own?
Prayer is a vital component for two fallen creatures to grow in love and unity in marriage. Too often, couples put intercession on the back burner, until they face financial ruin, health concerns, or conflicts that seem to destroy the very fiber of their union.
In 30 years of mentoring married couples, my husband and I have discovered that a couple who prays together develops a deep bond. Because prayer knits their hearts together in love for Christ––and for one another.
If praying together is the secret to withstanding the fiery darts of Satan's decisive schemes, why is it couples don't make prayer a priority? Learning to pray together seems like an easy step. Yet, the demands of life can steal away precious moments of intercession. While daily checking your "to do list" seems to take priority, forsaking prayer can actually steal away the effectiveness of your efforts.
Prayer can strengthen your marital bond like nothing else. I urge you to daily and regularly invite Christ into your relationship. Praying together and separately can have a powerful impact upon your marriage. So, even if your spouse won't make time to pray with you or is an unbeliever, your effectual and fervent prayers have "great power as it is working."
What Should You Pray For?
Let's take a few minutes to list six types of prayers you can pray:
Prayers of Gratitude.
Express thankfulness for your spouse. Take time to consider their unique qualities and contributions to your marriage. If you can't think of anything to be thankful for, ask God to help you come up with at least one or two characteristics for which you can be grateful. "Godliness with contentment is great gain." So, learn to be grateful and content with who your spouse is as a person.
Prayers for Understanding and Harmony.
Unity in marriage reflects Christ to your children and a watching world. So, it's no wonder Satan works to undermine the harmony in your home. Ask God to help you really listen to what your spouse is trying to convey. And ask The Lord to help you dwell at peace with your spouse––as much as it depends upon you (see Romans 12:18).
Prayers for Wisdom and Guidance.
Pray for divine guidance and discernment. Marriage trouble is often a result of how a couple disagrees on parenting styles or financial decisions. Ask God to give each of you discernment and to guide your path. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
Prayers for Forgiveness and Healing.
To heal wounds and restore trust in marriage, forgiveness is absolutely essential. When you hold onto regrettable infractions your unforgiving spirit will soon turn into a root of bitterness, which the Bible warns will defile many. God can heal your marriage. He is the only One who can help you lay down any records of wrong you might be keeping. Love covers a multitude of sins, so implore the Lord to help each of you stop holding grudges and genuinely forgive one another.
Prayers for Strength.
Ask God for resilience and support amidst life's storms. When the waves crash around you, rather than pointing fingers at one another or pulling away from your spouse, take hold of their hand. Lean into God's strength and ask Him to grant each of you unshakeable faith to trust Him for answers and help.
Prayers for JOY.
Nehemiah 8:10 promises, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." When life is hard, fight for joy. Not in your own strength. Rather look to Jesus for the joy set before you. Living in joy will bring hope and peace to your children, who will one day want nothing more than to bring their own children back home to experience the same joy they knew as a child.
In our 43 wonderful years of marriage, I can attest to the value of a healthy prayer life. Both together and apart, prayers of gratitude and intercession for harmony, wisdom, healing, and strength have been the foundation of our bond. Amidst life's trials remember to fight for joy, because His joy truly has been the secret of our happy marriage–and I believe the same will be true for you.
"Father, forgive me for neglecting to pray. Please remind us to invite You into every aspect of our marriage. Please knit our hearts together in love for You and one another."
Rhonda Stoppe is a best-selling Christian author of seven books. With 40 years of experience in helping women build no regrets lives, Rhonda has become a highly sought after voice in the Christian living community. She has written hundreds of articles for Crosswalk.com and other popular magazines. Rhonda has appeared on The 700 Club, 100 Huntley Street, Family Life Today, Dobson’s Family Talk, and her interviews at Focus on the Family have been named in their Best Of Episodes 2021 & 2023. “I could have listened to Rhonda talk all night,” is what listeners say. Her speaking platform includes: Homeschool conferences, (MOPs) MomCo, MomCon, Legacy Grandparenting Summit and more. She is the host of the award-winning podcast, Old Ladies Know Stuff. Rhonda has over 40 years experience as a pastor’s wife, speaker, mom coach, marriage mentor, mother of four–and did we mention she’s a grandmother of 15! Find out more about Rhonda at NoRegretsWoman.com.
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
