Last year I wrote about how we can be praying for our children. My wife and I refer back to that post on a daily basis and use it as a blueprint for praying for our kids each night before we go to bed. I highly recommend you use it!
Today I want to give some suggestions on how we can be praying for our spouse. Most of these suggestions come from the book by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, titled, “The Battle Plan For Prayer.”
For those that are married, we would all admit that marriage can be difficult and culture makes it easy to get “bored” or distant from your spouse. Satan can and will use your spouse as a way to hurt you spiritually, if you will let him. So cover your marriage in prayer!
Here are some of the suggestions. I will put them in first person so they are easier to pray. First, here are some prayers to pray as a couple…
- That Christ would be the center of our marriage. That he would be the first and primary person we turn to for love, joy, and peace.
- That as we seek to get love, joy and peace from Christ, we would then seek to share that love, joy, and peace with each other.
- That when disagreements occur, we would be committed to listening respectfully, confessing openly, and extending patience and kindness promptly.
- That we would be hard to offend and quick to forgive.
- That when life gets busy, we would still be intentional about making time for each other and that we would hold each other up at all costs.
- That God would bless our delight in each other and our marital intimacy.
- That we may live out a godly example for our kids.
Then, for your own life…
- That I would love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. And that I would love my neighbor.
- That I would love my spouse as Christ loves the church.
- That I would live unselfishly toward those around me.
- That I would live in peace, seeking to heal and restore whatever is broken around me.
- That I would be actively and accurately attuned to the needs of my spouse.
- That I would have a fresh love and delight in my spouse each day.
Lastly, for your spouse…
- That my spouse would be devoted to Christ in loving gratitude, surrendered to following his Word.
- That each day he/she would seek to grow closer to Jesus through getting in the Bible, prayer, and worship.
- That God would keep him/her vividly aware of Christ’s desires.
- That when temptation comes, he/she would stay strong and instead turn to Jesus.
- That he/she would be a light at work and the community.
- That God would protect him/her from any attacks of the devil.
So go ahead, get praying with and for your spouse!