A Prayer for Your Wife’s Well-Being
By Jennifer Heeren
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8)
I was working at a place where I had become more and more miserable. It didn’t feel like it was the right place for me. I looked for other options but when none came I figured that God had a reason and even a plan for me to be just where I was. I tried to stick it out and I even tried to do it with a smile on my face.
I would get through my days trying to stand up under the pressure as best as I could, but it wouldn’t take much to knock me over. Traffic after one of those long and tiring days was often the thing that threw me off kilter. All that I wanted to do was get home but cars all around me seemed to block me at every turn. When I would finally get home, I would throw my arms around my husband and weep.
He understood exactly what I needed—to be held and loved until the tears went away.
The Apostle Peter understood this when he wrote, husbands must give honor to their wives. They should treat them with understanding. Understanding that realizes that women are weaker in physical strength (even though they are fully equal as a part of God’s creation) and sometimes need extra care (1 Peter 3:7).
Often God uses people to show His love to other people. But even in the moments where no human being is around, God comforts His children in a multitude of creative ways.
· You come across just the right Scripture at the right time and you remember that God is Immanuel, and He is indeed with you. And that knowledge strengthens and supports you.
· A line in a song reminds you that the Lord is your Shepherd and will always pick you up and carry you when you feel like you can’t take another step. You are always close to God’s heart.
· You realize in hindsight that even though bad things have happened, God has been with you all along and has guided you through those dark valleys with his rod and staff. Then you thank Him for His protection.
So, when your wife (or husband or friend or neighbor or even a stranger) needs a reboot, offer them these three things:
1. Your shoulder to support them when they can’t go any further.
2. Your arms to show your compassion and care in the form of a hug.
3. Your ears to listen to their worries, complaints, and fears.
You don’t necessarily need your mouth, at least not in the beginning. Advice and ideas come much later in the process after the waterfall of emotion has calmed into a more peaceful stream.
After all, doesn’t love cover a multitude of sins (and worries and problems)?
Please pray for your wife:
Dear Lord, when my wife is in the midst of a tumult of worries, fear, and sadness, remind her as quickly as possible that You are with her. She can never go anywhere where You can’t find her. In her mountain top, exciting moments, You are there. In her desert wanderings, You are there. You are even there in her lowest, most distressed states. She may not always feel it, but she knows You are with her. Help me be just the right person at just the right time to help her to stand when she is under pressure. And always remind her of Your immense love which was depicted on that cross. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content adapted from the article “How to Reset Your Wife When She’s Falling Apart” by Jennifer Heeren. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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