How to Pray for a Spouse

Learn and meditate on your spouse's needs before you pray.

The Bibles states in Ephesians 6:18: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." If you are supposed to pray all kinds of prayers for the Lord's people, then it is wise to think about praying for one of the most important people in your life -- your spouse. Praying for your spouse is a powerful way to love that person and to nurture your marriage.

Instructions

1. Talk to your spouse and tell him that you would like to pray for him. Ask him if he has any specific requests concerning your prayers for him. The simple act of expressing your intentions to pray for your spouse communicates love. Knowing what your spouse's needs are also gives you a guideline for your prayer time.

2. Ask your spouse if she would like to pray with you. Sharing the experience of prayer together can be very intimate and nurturing for your relationship. Even if your spouse doesn't want to pray out loud, she might want to be there with you as you pray for her. Summon your own faith to have confidence that God will work what is best for both of you. Remember that prayer gives God a chance to show his involvement in our personal lives. Without such petitions, it is harder for us to observe God's specific actions on our behalf. But with such requests, we have a way of contemplating God's direct relations with us.

3. Include thanksgiving, worship and request for forgiveness of sins in your prayer. This follows Jesus example of prayer in Luke 11, as well as Paul's instructions in Philippians 4.

4. Ask for God's help for yourself in terms of fulfilling your role as an encourager and helper for your spouse. Many people focus on their spouse's faults rather than looking at themselves and at areas in which they can work to improve the relationship.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep track of the petitions you place before the Lord, and when you see that something you have prayed for has come to be, make a point of giving your thanks for that answer. Many people pray but when the answer comes, they chalk it up to natural circumstances. But God works through natural circumstances. Let your spouse see that you attribute God's blessings to God, not to natural turns of events.

References

• Bible Gateway: New International Version
• Prayer Guide: Husbands and Wives