Should You Pray for Your Future Spouse?

It is a wonderful act to pray for those around us daily, or for those who are involved in our inner circles. We may lift up a mother or father in prayer or a close friend, but something that is often overlooked is the idea of praying for someone you may not even know, like a future spouse. Although you may not know this person, or they have not been revealed to you as your future spouse, God knows and sees. Prayer for anyone is important, but it is even more important when that person is someone you will share a name and life with.

Prayers as Brothers and Sisters in Christ

It is essential to lift one another up in the Body of Christ. We each hold an important role in the Church, and no one is without the need of prayer for encouragement, wisdom, protection from the enemy, or growth. The same can be said for prayers for your future spouse. Do not only consider what is necessary for them in becoming the person they need to be to become a spouse but consider them for who they are as a child of God and fellow follower of Christ in the Body. Just as you would pray for a dear friend, pray for your spouse. As a husband or wife, they will not only come alongside you romantically, but they will be a friend, confidant, and partner in more ways than one. Remember that they are first and foremost a child of God and then the person you are to marry.

Prayers for Relationship with God

Praying for your future spouse's relationship with God may be the most significant prayer you pray over them, for it places the correct order of who their first love ought to be. Mark 12:30 offers, "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' Jesus brings forward the reminder that our first and greatest love ought to be the Lord and then others. Praying for your future spouse's relationship with God is imperative for their growth, journey, and who they are becoming in the Lord. Only when they have the correct order of allegiance and love with God can they ever properly love you. There is also the desire to see them reach the fulfillment of all they can be in the Lord for who God has prepared them to be, and your prayers matter. Your humble petitions before the Lord can open the door to impact the life of your mate.

Prayers for Growth

In the movie, A Case for Christ, Lee Stroble was an investigative journalist and outspoken atheist on a mission to disprove Christ. Through the course of the story, his wife experiences an event in which she places her hope in the Lord, and she chooses to pray for her husband to come to know the Lord as well. She prays Ezekiel 36:26 over him daily, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." It took time, but through the journey Lee went through to disprove Christ, he came to know Christ intimately and gave his life over to God. The Ezekiel 36 prayers his wife prayed were answered in full. God changed this man, and the same effect can occur when you pray for your own future spouse. Ask the Lord to highlight to you Scriptures to pray over your future spouse, or even write them out in journal form daily with a sincere heart believing that the Lord is doing great and significant work in them towards growth in Him.

Intimacy through Prayer

Intimacy has many different forms, but at its root, it is the close union of two entities. Even before you meet your spouse, you have the opportunity before the Lord to connect with them through God in prayer. This is not in the typical way that we assume intimacy, but instead, a deeper form of Godly love through Christ that is reserved and specific for one person alone. Ephesians 5 outlines instruction on Godly marriage, "Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" Even before you are married you can make the choice to uphold prayers for your future spouse. You may not know your spouse, but God does, and there is an intimacy unlike any other that comes through Godly love. You offer cleansing of the Holy Spirit through the prayer of Scripture upon them. When you are married, it will become even richer, deeper, and more concrete the union of Christ between the two of you by the bond of His blood.

Why to Pray

Pray for your future spouse because you trust in the work of the Lord. The Lord is doing work not only in them when you pray for them but also within you—changing you, preparing you, and creating within you a spirit ready to take on the duty of being a husband or wife. It is an honor and blessing to become a spouse, and praying and preparing ahead of time will be beneficial to you on the other side of that wedding altar. Prayer for another person is also a way to connect more with God in your own relationship with Him. You come to see others through the lens of Christ rather than your earthly eyes. Prayer for others beckons becoming more like Christ daily.

Prayer for Your Spouse

Father God,

We come together to earnestly pray for the future spouse of the person praying this prayer today. Lord, they might not know their spouse, but You do. We pray for this beautiful creation and person You have made in this future spouse. Lord, we pray protection over this person from the enemy. We pray for a deep, loyal, and intimate relationship between You and this cherished person You have in store. Lord, we pray that You would grow, refine, and establish this person in precisely what You have planned for their life. Assist them as they become ready to become a spouse and work in their lives in every single facet so that the timing, circumstances, and details align for Your best. Lord, we are so thankful that You have created this couple to be so, and Lord, we pray that Your Kingdom may be blessed through this union and marriage. We are so grateful for marriage and the good plans You have in store, Lord.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Cally Logan is an author and US History teacher from Richmond, Virginia. Her works have been featured on "The 700 Club Interactive," “Jesus Calling Blog,” and “Coffee and Bible Time,” among several notable outlets. She served as a mentor for young women for several years and enjoys challenging women to develop deeper relationships with God and to live fearlessly and authentically. She received her B.A. Degree from Regent University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time in nature, having genuine chats over coffee, and woodworking. Her new book, The Wallflower That Bloomed, is available everywhere now. Connect with Cally: @CallyLogan Instagram CallyLogan.com