Husband's Prayer

Oh Lord,

I thank You for my wife.

You have given her to me, and You give only Good gifts.

She is the perfect wife for me.

Her particular problems, or the problems that I think I see in her, are perfect opportunities for my growth in the particular areas in which I need to grow.

When I stumble over one of her problems, help me see that

I have really stumbled over my inner corresponding problem.

And when I trip over my problem, I have the opportunity to see it more clearly

(if I do not keep myself in the darkness, thinking that it is her problem.)

And if I see it more clearly, I may, by Your Grace,

Move beyond it - rise above it - be delivered from it!

This is very wonderful to me Lord.

I am thankful that You have made it this way.

Please help me to remember that neither my wife nor anyone else stands between You and me; and that my ultimate fulfillment is in You, O Lord, not in my wife.

She is a wonderful lagniappe, not the main thing.

Please prevent me from making an IDOL of her - something that she neither wants  nor needs.

Please, O Lord, help me to LOVE her, as Christ LOVED the church and gave His Life for it.

Empower me, through Your Holy Spirit, living in me, to RESPECT and HONOR her, protecting her, especially in the areas of her vulnerability.

I pray that I might build her up, in all ways that are pleasing in Your sight, rather than tear her down, as I have done in the past, for which I sincerely and earnestly ask Your forgiveness.

I pray that I might not give in to my own or her weaknesses;

That I might be strong, and that I might be a source of strength to her.

But please enable me to be gentle in my strength, as You are, Lord.

Deliver me from the deadly need to CONTROL, which is fear-based.

Please help me to practice the "BEAM AND SPECK"  principle. [MT. 7:3-5]

I pray for her growth in the Way of Christ, but please help me to remember that we are not responsible for each others' growth - only our own.

Please help me to always do all that I should to encourage her in the Way of Truth, for her sake, not mine;

But deliver me from the futility of pushing, forcing or coercing her.

Help us to be kind, especially in our anger.

Help us to be supportive of each other's ministries to others in the world.