Dear Pal
As always your wise words and Scripture references have encouraged me greatly.
I can, and do pray faithfully for my husband. Sometimes I get a bit weary though and sometimes I slip into an acceptance of where he is at because it is easier than being in the Spiritual battle for him. It doesn't last long though. I love him too much to let him remain.
.
I do however believe that prayer should lead to action, (on my part). Do you agree? Or do you think that I should just leave it up to God in faith?
He's a very fortunate man to have you.
I would not try to make something happen but I would be mindful
in prayer and everyday what the Lord would have you do for
your husband in the way of loving him and helping him.
Rejection and pulling away from him is the worst thing you can do because
the devil will work overtime to divide the two of you by using rejection to cause
you both to lose heart over unkind actions or rash words that may be spoken.
Love your husband even though he isn't where you think he should be.
Be a friend and try to spend quality time with him and let him know
that you are in this for the long haul and that you want what is best for him.
Speak encouragement........
Honey I know things are rough for you but God will bring you through.
I am praying for God's blessing and protection in your life because I love you and
want you to find God's love and peace in your life. I just want you to know
I am here for you if you want to talk....
Always think about how you would want others to treat you if you
were having a crisis or rough spot in your walk with the Lord.
Ask God what you should do and He will show you day by day what you
need to say or do as needed.
If the peace of God is not in your words or actions then listen
closer to what the Spirit is saying and when you hear what God is saying
then you will have peace in your actions and your words.
We want to rush in and confront and wake the person up and
shake them back to reality but God works in the heart when you aren't
around and so the last thing you want to do is give the enemy
fodder for his plan to drive the two of you apart with your own
hurtful actions or words.
Many times my wife has sensed my angst and troubled spirit and she simply
reaches over and strokes my hair and tells me things will work out.
That simple act of kindness moves me and encourages me to know that
my wife is on my side and cares for me even at times when I don't care for myself.
It's the love of God expressed....
God is good and He knows how to bring your husband around through His
kindness, mercy and grace, especially if you are on the same page with
God and you are showing the love of God to your husband even when you think he doesn't deserve it.
Build upon the good you have in your marriage and the fact that
he does believe and has not denied his faith.
God will move on your prayer and your love for your husband and bring
about a good result for the two of you.
Remember the vow you said? For better, for worse...
If the shoe were on the other foot and you were struggling would you
want your husband to get down on you, lecture you, schedule appointments for a shrink or
counseling when all you really needed was a friend, someone to pray for you, someone to
support and love you and speak words of encouragement and love to you?
Don't let the place your husband is in stop you from loving him as if
the only love you can offer him is conditional love that is based on how he
performs or meets your expectations.
Christ loves you and your husband unconditionally so ask God to show
you how to love your husband as Christ loves you.
I know of a woman that her husband never went to church.
She loved him dearly and prayed for him and lavished her love on him and
eventually her love won him over and he came to church with her.
Does your husband have some good qualities?
Can you praise him for what he does right?
If you allow a weight of your unmet expectations to hang over you relationship
then how can it go forward or be blessed?
If your husband feels like you are waiting for the other shoe to drop,
why should he even try any longer?
You have to let him know that you are for him and will be there when
he needs you and that he can tell you anything and you won't judge
him if he finds himself in a dry and barren place in his walk with the Lord.
Have you ever been in a dry and barren wilderness in your walk with God?
Perhaps if you share your failures and wilderness experiances he will open up.
Whatever you say, let it be positive and encouraging.
The last thing he needs is another condemning voice.
May God bless your marriage and may He make the two of you
one and bring the two of you to the same page at the same time...
God bless
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
1 Corinthians 7
13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe,
if he is willing to live with her,
let her not divorce him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife,
and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband;
otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy
sanc·ti·fy (s
ngk
t
-f
)
tr.v. sanc·ti·fied,
sanc·ti·fy·ing,
sanc·ti·fies
1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate.
2. To make holy; purify.
3. To give religious sanction to, as with an oath or vow:
sanctify a marriage.
4. To give social or moral sanction to.
5. To make productive of holiness or spiritual blessing.
