Praying through Weaknesses as a Couple

　　By Lynette Kittle

　　Pray continually, - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

　　Even though I write articles and devotionals encouraging husbands and wives to entrust spiritual growth of their spouse to God, looking to Him to transform and change their hearts, at times I still find myself trying to speed up the process with my own husband.

　　Such as this morning during our prayer time together when I asked God to free my husband from impatience and irritation. Afterward, he mentioned how he really didn’t appreciate my praying for him in this way. So of course, I responded with, “Why not? Did my prayer irritate you?”

　　I explained to my hubby how I also ask God to fill him with His joy, peace, love, and more, and invited him to pray for God to free me of things, too. But as a seasoned husband, he gave me a look like suggesting I take the plank out of my own eye.

　　As Scripture explains, it’s easier for me to see a speck in his eye than it is for me to see a plank in my own eye (Matthew 7:5). If I’m seeing things in him that maybe he’s not aware of, then his openness in letting me know where I could use God’s freedom could be of tremendous help in my dealing with issues in my own life.

　　What might happen in our marriages, if instead of avoiding bringing up issues because we fear offending our spouse or being offended by what our husband or wife points out, if we give each other the freedom to openly address our weaknesses? How might marriages be strengthened?

　　James 5:16 urges us to confess our sins one to another and pray for each other. Most likely I’m probably missing faults in my life that need my confessing, issues which are very apparent to my spouse, yet ones I may be unaware of or overlooking in myself.

　　How much more could the devil’s schemes to rip apart marriages be thwarted, by couples being open to receiving godly correction through their spouse?

　　My praying for my husband in this way began because he didn’t seem to hear me when I just asked him to have kinder responses like Scripture encourages, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Colossians 3:19).

　　Although I was praying privately about it, too, once I prayed openly with him about it, he did seem to really hear what I was saying.

　　1 Peter 3:7 urges, “Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

　　Likewise, God says He is a witness between my husband and myself (Malachi 2:14), because we did make our marriage vows to God, making Him the center of our relationship. So who better to bring up areas of weaknesses between us than to do so together before Him?

　　Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, Startmarriageright.com, growthtrac.com, and more. She has an M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as an associate producer for Soul Check TV.

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