Why should you pray with your partner? Because the power of prayer in marriage is more than “just” a spiritual connection with God! Praying with your husband or wife will bring you closer together, and help you withstand any difficulty.
Here are a few reasons I love praying with my husband, plus a few tips for praying with your partner.
“Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” ~ Søren Kierkegaard.
The power of a praying husband and wife isn’t about making God do what you want or getting everything you want out of life…it’s about changing who you are as a married couple. It’s about adding spirituality to your marriage, which can improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. To learn more, read Couples Who Pray: The Most Intimate Act Between a Man and a Woman
And here are several reasons to pray with your husband or wife, plus a few prayer tips…
Why Pray With Your Partner? The Power of Prayer in Marriage
I have to admit – the first time we prayed together was really weird! I didn’t have the courage to initiate a prayer, but my husband just grabbed my hand, jumped right in, and started praying. This was about two months before we were married…and we’ve been praying almost every night since.
Praying increases the spiritual connection in your marriage. Praying together brings you closer together. My blog partner Gini might say something about spiritual energy – she might say the power of prayer in marriage meshes your spiritual energy with your spouse’s, and makes you both stronger and more connected. I don’t know exactly how it works, but something definitely happens when you pray with other people, whether it’s your spouse or someone you just met.
Praying increases your knowledge of your husband or wife. I didn’t realize how gentle and caring my husband was until we prayed together. Even now, he’ll pray about something or someone that surprises or even shocks me! Praying together allows me a glimpse into his heart and soul, which I wouldn’t otherwise have.
Praying as a couple softens your heart. When I’m angry at my husband, I refuse to pray with him. This has happened twice in four years of marriage; I can’t be spiritually intimate with my husband when my heart is full of black resentment or bitterness. But, I’ve learned that when we’re just irritated with or “ho hum” about each other, the act of praying together softens ours heart and increases our feelings of love. Praying with your partner can heal your hurts and help you forgive.
Tips for Praying With Your Husband or Wife
Say what’s on your heart – and direct your comments to God. Don’t use your prayer time as a couple to vent frustrations, make veiled criticisms, or ask your husband or wife to do something for you. This may sound obvious, but I’ve heard prayers that sound more like lectures or gossip sessions than true communication with God!
Incorporate periods of silence. My husband and I have often talked about staying silent during our prayers, instead of “just” talking to God. But, we’ve never taken the step into truly sitting and listening for God’s word or direction…we’re always the ones doing the talking. Perhaps one day we’ll learn the power of silence in our prayers, but for now, we’re content to pray the way we do.
Pray as regularly as possible. Praying together as a couple is a habit that takes time to develop – and one that is very, very easy to lose. My husband and I have missed as many as four or five nights in a row because of travel, houseguests, periods of illness, etc – and it’s surprisingly difficult to get back into the habit of praying together, even when you’ve experienced firsthand the power of praying with your husband or wife! One of the best ways to build a spiritual marriage is to pray as regularly as possible – no matter how tired, busy, or cranky you are.
Do you pray with your husband or wife – or would you like to? I welcome your thoughts and comments below…
11 Forgotten Laws - the Power of Law of Attraction
Control Your Spiritual and Financial Destiny - Money Beyond Belief
Empaths and Highly Sensitive People - Learn to Master Your Energy
- Share This Article...
Bookmark on Delicious- Digg this post
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share with Stumblers
- Tweet about it
- Tell a friend
Wonderful article, Laurie. I do believe praying together softens your heart and brings relationships closer. It’s interesting that when you are angry at your husband you don’t want to pray together – while I can understand that, I also think praying together (perhaps asking God to help you see your husband differently or to help you touch into forgiveness) would ease the anger and bring you even closer quicker.
I’m not sure I’d say that “praying meshes your spiritual energy with your spouse’s,” as I’m not big on enmeshing energy (I think having seperate energy is healthier for relationships), but I do follow the saying “where two or more are gathered in my name” principle from the Bible. Something does happen energetically when two or more people focus their intention on a higher principle, power or intention. It strengthens it somehow. I’ve had amazing experiences in group meditation and prayer circles.
My hubby and I have created a habit where we listen to meditative music at night before going to bed – sometimes we meditate while doing this, sometimes silent prayer and then of course there are many times I hear snoring nearby! But I do love it when we meditate together – which for me is like a silent prayer where I connect with the God of my heart and soak in the higher vibration – I get some pretty creative idea downloads then too (often where my article ideas come from).
Gini
.-= Gini Grey´s last blog post: Acceptance =-.
Ah, Gini, I get what you mean by “meshing energy” — thanks for clarifying that. Yes, I’ve also had the experience of praying with people and feeling the strenght of our combined energies.
There’s just something that happens when my husband and I pray together, and I guess it’s not “meshing energy”…..I don’t know what it is, though.
We’re also reading Wayne Dyer’s “10 Secrets of Success and Inner Peace” together at night, just a couple of pages at a time. I LOVE that little book — maybe I’ll write about that next!
When you meditate with your hubby, do you focus on something specific? Or, do you each mediate on whatever comes to mind, heart, and soul?
Laurie
.-= Laurie PK´s last blog post: Tips for Introverts – 6 Ways to Reduce Christmas Stress and Anxiety =-.
Hi Laurie,
When we meditate together we are usually just doing our own thing (I often ‘run’ my energy which is a way of giving myself and energy healing – a lovely way to clear my space), but every so often we will meditate together on something specific like touching into the vibration of abundance (particularly if we want to manifest something big like the RV we now have:)
Gini
.-= Gini Grey´s last blog post: Acceptance =-.
Should you pray with your boyfriend?
Hi Jewels,
Yes, yes, yes — you absolutely should pray with your boyfriend!
Although, some Christians warn against praying alone with your boyfriend too early in the relationship. They say it leads to a powerful connection that may blind you to whether or not you’re truly compatible. That is, the power of spiritual connection can color your judgement, and perhaps make you think you’re more compatible than you really are.
So, if you’ve been dating for several months, then I’d encourage you to pray together. But if you’ve only known him for a short while, you may want to pray in groups or not pray together at all…
I hope this helps — and I’m sorry there’s not a clearcut answer!
Blessings,
Laurie
Please pray for me, I have been trying to get my husband for years to pray with me for 21 years! He’s a man of God with great integrity and I just think it’s very horrible that he refuses to pray with me! I have mentioned it to him numerous times and we have been going through some difficult times with me not working but I think it’s very hurtful and upsetting that he refuses to pray with me!
Dear D,
I’m sorry to hear that your husband won’t pray with you, because it can certainly strengthen a marriage. It must be confusing for you, especially since he’s a “man of God”!
I’d be happy to pray for you. But, I urge you to pray about and release your feelings of hurt and anger to God. If your husband hasn’t prayed with you for 21 years, maybe it’s time to put down your burden of pain and wishing things were different. It is what it is, and you might find peace in releasing your frustration and confusion to God.
I know you didn’t ask for tips for praying with your husband, but I can’t resist making one suggestion. Instead of trying to get him to pray with you, tell him that you accept his unwillingness. Tell him you’re releasing him – and yourself – from your wish that you pray as a couple.
Then, schedule your own time to pray. For instance, I pray and journal every morning from 5-6 am. My husband knows he is welcome to join me. If you schedule your own time to pray and tell your husband he’s welcome to pray or read the Bible in the same room, he might be more likely to join you in prayer.
I wish you all the best, and will keep you in my prayers!
Blessings,
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
A few months ago God began putting on my heart the power of a man praying with, over, and for his wife. This passion has been growing and growing in me and has inspired me to begin researching what the bible says about it, and what others, like yourself, are saying. I have been surprised to find so many articles and websites that speak about it. I am also surprised that it is not spoke of or taught within the church.
My wife and I have become very passionate about Gary Thomas’ book called “Sacred Marriage” and facilitate the class at our church. I have been incorporating the necessity to pray within the class. We have also put together a questionaire to find out why men won’t pray with their wives, especially if statistics show it prevents divorce. I don’t know where God is taking me with this but something has to change. We are also heading up the marriage mentoring program and plan on making prayer a vital part of the mentors program. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.