– 3 Min Read
“Happy wife, happy life”. We have all heard this cliche saying and have sadly fallen into its trap one too many times. The happiness of a home should never depend on the wife’s happiness. And to make a household think this way is a slippery slope to sin. As wives, we are not to expect everyone to cater to our every emotion and desire. We may be able to set the tone of our homes, but that is a great responsibility! It is not something to be used as a manipulation tactic. Instead of trying to be the happy wife who runs the show, I challenge you to be a prayerful wife. Being a wife who prays will have a far greater impact on your environment. Below are seven simple prayers for the wife.
Prayer #1
“Then Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
– Genesis 2:18
Let’s quite literally start at the beginning. Adam was in need of a suitable helper, and God created woman. Before sin ever entered the world, God wisely placed the husband as the leader and the wife as the helper. It is a humbling and loving prayer to pray that God would make you a suitable helper to your husband. That you would love him according to God’s design for marriage, and be eager to help as God has commanded. Pray for ways that you can help your husband in his walk with the Lord.
Prayer #2
“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.”
– Ephesians 5:22-24
Following God’s design, it is necessary to pray that you would be a submissive wife. That your attitude would be one of gladness towards your husband as you submit to his godly leadership. And with that, pray for your husband to lead as God has called him to! He is still learning his role as you are learning yours. Pray that his leadership would be a reflection of Christ and the church.
Prayer #3
“In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 as they observe your pure conduct with fear. 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.”
– 1 Peter 3:1-4
Pray for a gentle and quiet spirit. What a blessing it would be for your home to be one of gentleness. Be careful not to be a Proverbs 21 wife who convinces her husband that it would be better for him to live in a desert. “It is better to live in a desert land, than with a contentious and vexing woman” (Proverbs 21:19). Not only is a gentle spirit beautiful to your husband, but even greater, it is obedience towards the Lord.
Prayer #4
“Know this, my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.”
– James 1:19
A personal favorite of mine, I keep this scripture close to heart. It can be easy to be quick to anger and quicker to speak our mind. But Proverbs 21:23 reminds us that, “He who keeps his mouth and his tongue, keeps his soul from troubles.” It is wise and loving to be slow to speak. Think of how many arguments could be avoided if we merely took the time to carefully listen and slow our responses. This prayer should not just be applied towards your husband, but in your relationships with all people!
Prayer #5
“He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates close companions.”
– Proverbs 17:9
Pray that you would be a trustworthy wife. Your husband will make mistakes towards you, and you will towards him. Is it necessary to repeat every offense that is made? Absolutely not! Women often fall into the trap of gossiping and degrading their husbands. This is in contrast to what God commands of us. Do not shame your husband! “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones” (Proverbs 12:4).
Prayer #6
“She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil All the days of her life.”
– Proverbs 31:12
Intentionally pray that you would bring your husband good and not evil. This may sound extreme, for how many wives consciously think they want to bring evil to their husbands on a daily basis? Yet, conscious or not, our sinful desires too often rule the day, and evil consumes our words and deeds. Pray that it would not be so. Strive for ways to bring good to your husband so that you can build him up towards Christ.
Prayer #7
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Our God will not leave us to be stagnant in our walk with Him. Pray for sanctification in your life. God is faithful, and He will preserve you till the end! You can rejoice in this and pray that He will grow your faith in Him. Being a prayerful wife takes practice. Living out those prayers will be a constant mission. It is a mission you can embrace with confidence, knowing that God will sanctify you in it.
Conclusion
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
– Hebrews 4:15-16
Because of Christ, we have the privilege of boldly approaching God so that we may receive mercy and grace. Let us not forsake the blessing of praying to our Lord. A prayerful wife will have a far greater impact on her family than a wife who relies on her own happiness. Search the scriptures and apply them to your prayer life. How sweet it is to pray the words that the Lord has given us.