5 Benefits of Praying Together as a Couple

“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Corrie Ten Boom

That is a provocative question.  For many of us, prayer is an afterthought, or something we do when facing a crisis.  However, when we talk with God regularly, our relationship with Him deepens and we learn to recognize His fingerprints on our lives. Prayer in itself has huge benefits for us personally and likewise, when husbands and wives pray for each other, wonderful things can happen in our marriage.  However, when we take the time to actually pray together, the power of our prayers multiplies and so do the benefits. 

“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

 Prayer Strengthens the Bonds of Marriage

Prayer not only opens communication between you and God, it strengthens the bonds of marriage.  Studies have found the old adage, “Couples that pray together, stay together” to be true.  In a recent poll from Gallup it was revealed that “among married couples who attend church together regularly, the divorce rate is one out of two. That is the same statistic for marriages outside the church. However, among married couples who pray together daily, the divorce rate drops to one out of 1,153.”  Prayer reinforces the connection between couples and as a result, their marriages are strengthened!

Prayer Encourages Unity

As we come before God as a couple, we are coming as a team and reminding ourselves that we are on the same side.  Team players have common goals and direction.  Praying together reinforces those goals and that connection.  When we offer our prayers to God together we are naturally aligning our hearts as couples for one shared hope and outcome.

Prayer Promotes Emotional Intimacy

Sharing our desires and deepest longings with each other in prayer gives one another an intimate glimpse into the other person’s heart. The tender moments that are created when our hearts are open and vulnerable to each other grow our love and level of intimacy in our relationship.

Prayer Invites God into Your Relationship

When God is at the center of our marriage, we have a “built in” compass and guide.  God gives direction and wisdom that we as couples long for in our relationship.  By praying together we are inviting God into our marriage and welcoming His hand on our lives. He will bring healing and joy as He tenderly leads us on the path He has set out for us.

Prayer Changes Marriages

Praying together cannot help but change our marriages for the better.  The connection that develops and grows when we pray together deepens our love and strengthens the bond in our relationship.  Marriages that are struggling or in crisis can be mended when God is at its center.  He is always faithful and wants the best for us.  Even good marriages can be made great when we are open to God’s leading and direction through prayer.  As Corrie Ten Boom suggested above, I don’t want prayer to be used only when something huge or catastrophic is happening in our marriage.  I want it to be the force drives us forward.  Regular prayer together will do just that…steer us by God’s hand toward a marriage that is both a blessing to us and to God.

Leaning upon Him,

Joan

www.thebeautyinhisgrip.com

www.watertowinemarriage.com