Lesson 25

What are some specific ways I can pray for my husband?

Danielle regretted that she didn’t pray for her husband as often as she should have during his years of indulging in pornography.  She wonders if he might have achieved freedom from his sinful ways sooner if she had been more faithful in praying for him.  However, she doesn’t dwell on it because he kept his sin well hidden and she wasn’t always aware of the need to pray about it.

Danielle suggests that praying for a wayward husband would include the following:

1. Asking God to show him that ongoing intentional sin results in spiritual death. “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, give birth to death.”  (James 1:15)  “My husband was of the opinion that, though he sinned intentionally almost daily, his salvation was not at risk.  I was not so sure.”
2. Asking God to show him the way to freedom. “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13)  “Though he had memorized verses like this one, like many men, he believed he was trapped and that there was no way out.”
3. Asking God to bring someone (another man) into his life who can help him and be an accountability partner to him. “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”  (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
4. Asking God to protect him from temptation.

“I believe that as we pray for our husbands, God will soften our hearts toward them and help us love them in spite of their sin against us.”