Proactively Praying For Your Husband
Early in my marriage, I didn’t know how to pray for my husband.
I prayed more reactive prayers at first than I did intentional prayers.
If I were frustrated with him, I would pray that he wouldn’t disappoint me. If our finances were tight, I would pray for God to bless our finances. If he needed to make a career decision, I would pray for the Lord to help him.
I realized the one prayer my husband needed me to pray for him, was for him to have wisdom. If I want him to love me more, he needs wisdom. If I want him to be a better father, succeed in his job, love Jesus more, or anything else – I could pray for him to have wisdom.
My prayer life drastically changed.
Instead of being reactionary by trying to change him, I began praying proactively, intentionally, and consistently, for my husband to have wisdom.
The word “wisdom” is used 234 times in 222 different verses in the King James Bible alone. Anything we see repeated over and over in the Bible deserves our attention and should cause us to ponder.
Praying daily for your husband to have wisdom is one prayer God wants to answer.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ” James 1:5 (ESV )
No matter what our husbands encounter throughout the day, God will give wisdom to handle whatever situation comes their way. At his job, with me, our children or our finances.
Lord, Thank you for the wives that pray for their husbands! I pray you grant them wisdom to know exactly how to pray for their man. Would you graciously bestow wisdom upon their husbands more and more with each passing day.
Wife Step: Begin praying for your husband to have wisdom above all else each day. The results may surprise you!
Misty Phillip is an author, blogger, and speaker. Misty believes a woman’s highest calling is to love God and make him known, by loving and serving her family and others with her God-given gifts and talents.
Misty is married to the love of her life and best friend, Peter Phillip, and together they have three amazing young men and are blessed with a precious daughter-in-law. Misty left her corporate career to homeschool her boys. As her boys have grown she began a new season of writing and speaking.
In 2011 Misty became involved in the pro-life movement speaking for Texas Right to Life soon after her son Liam was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. This life changing event launched Misty into the pro-life movement. Recently, she has joined Save the 1 as a National Pro-life speaker. Misty shares devotions on Christian Living, Faith, Home, Family and the books she loves at MistyPhillip.com– By His Grace – Seek Jesus, Study the Word, & Grow in Grace.
What if you’re just sort of done praying for him. I’ve prayed for 21 years…reactive prayers, proactive prayers, sobs to the heavens and rote prayers, prayer cards, prayer books, 31 days of prayers for husbands, power of a praying wife prayers, basic prayers, general prayers, specific prayers, daily prayers.
The Bible says “pray without ceasing” and I probably won’t cease to pray for him, but I admit I’m sick of it. I feel like God hears, but there isn’t anything He can do because He doesn’t zap people into responding to or receiving the prayers that are lifted up for them.
And there are no prayers in return. He doesn’t pray for me. Not that that should stop me. It’s not tit or tat, but the imbalance and lack is felt and known.
I start each morning praying for my husband, but end each night apologizing to Jesus for being a schlump and somewhere between frustrated and miserable and asking Him to help me out, open a door, crack a window, SOMETHING!
You’re right – it does feel discouraging to continue to pray for something we don’t see fruit from. We don’t know how God will answer your prayers for your husband, but we do know that He HEARS them, and he CARES, and His heart for you is that you’d experience seeing your husband loving you like he is called to love you. Stay focused on YOUR call as a daughter of the King. Follow Jesus YOURSELF, and give the rest to God. You will answer for how YOU love your husband. Lean into your relationship with the Lord, simply growing closer to Him yourself, and try not to let your faith be dependent on what happens (or doesn’t) in your husband’s heart. Praying for you right now!