To Pray or Not to Pray
I was talking to a co-worker today, and they asked, “Why is it that we pray for so many people in our life but often forget to pray for our spouse?” This also led to a further discussion about how, when we do pray for our spouse, often we are not specific in our request for them, unless something traumatic is happening in their life. I’m sure this might have been an over-exaggeration and that many husbands and wives probably do pray for their spouse. Yet, I have met many couples who have admitted to regularly forgetting to pray for their spouse, or at least just simply adding a “Please help my husband too” at the end.
God knows our prayers before we even ask them, but Christ still stated to all of us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks receives; everyone who seeks finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened”(Matt. 7:7-8). Christ is calling us to love one another as He has loved us, and he prayed continuously for His beloved. (John 17:9,15,20) “I pray for them...the ones You have given me, because they are Yours…I do not ask that You take them out of the world but that You keep them from the evil one…I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe me through their word…”. So, too, as helpmates to our spouse, we are called to pray and fast for our spouse and their specific needs.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of your prayer for them and don’t expect God to do what you want, but rather to do what is needed for their greater good. Consider also the power of fasting, proclaimed by Christ, as another form of prayer for your beloved. Consider fasting once a week from something that you desire, offering it up as a prayer for your spouse and your marriage. The beauty of our prayers for others, especially our spouse, is learning a deeper form of loving those costs us time and intentionality.
ACTION STEP: This week, specifically pray every day for your spouse and their needs, great or small.