One of the best ways to divorce-proof your marriage is by becoming a couple who prays together. Research shows that couples who pray daily together only have a 1% divorce rate. With those stats why would anyone not want to become a couple who prays together?
As professional Christian counselors, this makes perfect sense. A couple who is coming together in prayer is a couple who is inviting God into their marriage—and if anyone knows marriage, it’s the Creator of it. When you pause together to pray, you are not only inviting in the Creator of your marriage, but you are also surrendering it to Him, trusting that He knows what is best and agreeing that you both want that.
Despite the research and despite what scripture tells us about the power and benefits of prayer, it can still be hard to do. Not all couples are comfortable with praying out loud. They may not know what to say or may not feel scripturally sound enough to voice a prayer. You also may be in a marriage where one of you is a biblical scholar and the other perhaps not so much. A situation like that is a playground for the Enemy to come in and wreak havoc and spread insecurity in.
How to Become a Couple who Prays Together
For starters, don’t be afraid to start small. This can be a quick laying of hands on your spouse’s back in the morning and whispering a prayer of thanks for them. You can also grab their hand in the morning and say “Lord, thank you for my wife/husband. Help them to walk in your will today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
You can also choose a time before bed when you sit together holding hands and just begin to pray silently together. This may seem insignificant, but imperfect or silent prayers will always be better than never starting.
Maybe making prayers casual and conversational will be your thing. Go for a walk and just speak out loud your prayers as you go. Tell God what you’re grateful for, pray over any stressors your spouse has shared with you, or simply pray for protection and provisions over one another. Just walk and chat with the Lord.
Finally, pray scripture. Praying scripture is a great way to start praying together. God has already provided the material for you. Here’s an example:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
“Dear Lord, you are the God of peace, not chaos, in you, there is no stress or overwhelm. We ask that you pour out your peace over our marriage. Clear our schedules from anything that would distract us or create stress in our lives. Help us to not be derailed from what you have for us. Let us be safe places of peace for one another and let us always run to you and not the world for peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Praying together is a wonderful goal to have for your marriage and we encourage every couple to make it a part of their daily lives together. If you’re looking for somewhere to start or to just begin to pray for one another, you can find scripture prayers just like the one above in our free resources for husbands and wives.
Here’s to giving your marriage a 99% rate of thriving and surviving!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Expedition Marriage
