Faithful Friday # 3 / Praying with your spouse

Last week, I wrote on the importance of patience in prayer. Praying is an intimate act between you and our heavenly Father. It's vitally important for your relationship to deepen and grow with the Father. So naturally, praying alongside your spouse is important for growing your unity, intimacy, and God glorifying relationship.
 

When I got married, I became one flesh with my husband (Genesis 2:24, Mark 10:8) . However, I certainly wasn't used to being one flesh with anyone else but myself for 25 years. I quickly realized there was a learning curve and to be one with another would take time.
 

A lot of the time, I find I am trying to work through everyday life by myself - and this isn't healthy for our relationship. In our marriage, I have to share everything - my mess, my frustrations, assumptions, needs, etc. with my husband. When Stephen and I pray together, it draws us in as one unit with God and one another.

 

 

And just like our physical relationship draws us together emotionally, so does out prayer life. We aren't just communicating with God but with each other. When I hear him pray about struggles, I get to pray for him as well. I have learned so much about my husband through our prayers together that I might not hear in normal everyday conversation. Praying for my husband is a great privilege and joy - there is nothing like calling out to our father for someone else.
 

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:14-16)
 

To have a thriving, healthy and happy relationship, I wholeheartedly believe my marriage has three parties - my husband, me, and God. Think about it - two sinners coming into a marriage broken. But God, who ordained marriage as good, comes in the middle and draws us closer to Him. I firmly believe the more Stephen and I pray together, the closer we will draw near to each other and to God.
 

Is it easy to pray together? Not always. We both have trouble at times feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable praying aloud. I lose or fumble over myself and have trouble starting again. It's something I pray for daily for us to overcome. Regardless, if you pray well aloud or not, I encourage you to pray together. What an intimate worship between you and your spouse to the almighty God. I have seen the wonderful effects it has taken in my marriage and pray for those in yours.