Not a member No 4 (1/5/2007 6:57:00 AM)
Such a gentle, loving and caring philosophy underlies this lovely work. Linda you’re still a Hippy at heart, and the dark world hasn’t faded those ideals one jot. Takes me back to Wooden Ships and After The Goldrush, and beyond into the sixties, and some more recent Janis Ian – ‘Guess You had to Be There’. And Rene Dubos’s Only One Earth, Rachel Carson – Silent Spring, etc. Beautiful sentiments. You would be there when it all started to fall apart too: the Kent State killings etc. But the promise of the best of it lives on in these words. Lovely. Thank you. xx jim (Report) Reply
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There are a couple of things that I recently read on praying for change in a spouse, that ministered to my heart. I believe they could give hope to anyone who is standing in the gap, praying for their spouse.
The first comes from something that Nancy Leigh DeMoss wrote in her devotional book, The Quiet Place: Daily Devotional Readings. It’s based on the scripture in Luke 18:1. We’re told, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Table of contents
Praying for a Change
Within this devotional reading she wrote:
“A woman I had not seen for many years came up to me at a wedding and said, ‘You saved my marriage!’ She reminded me that she had once shared with me a concern in relation to her. ‘It’s not your responsibility to change your husband; that’s God’s responsibility. Tell your husband what’s on your heart, then back off and let God do the rest.’
“For sixteen long years she prayed and waited, seeing little evidence that God was hearing or answering her. Though her husband professed to be a Christian, there was no fruit indicating that he had a genuine relationship with the Lord.
“Then ‘unexplainably,’ she said —after all those years —the Spirit turned on the light and brought about a dramatic change in her husband. It was as though he had come out of a coma. All of a sudden, he couldn’t get enough of the Word. He started keeping a notepad with him to record what he was getting out of his Bible reading. He even talked of selling his business to devote more time to ministry.
“‘In the past,’ the woman said, ‘I could hardly get him out of bed for breakfast. Now he’s going to a men’s prayer meeting at 6:30 every morning!’ There is no human explanation for what happened to change this husband, except for a faithful God and persevering wife who decided to pray rather than prod and provoke.”
Sometimes It Seems to Take “Too Long”
Spouses who read this could gulp when they see that this spouse waited “sixteen long years.” And I can well understand why. We expect change to come quicker than that. Many years ago a woman stood up in our church and was telling of her prodigal son. He had not made a move towards God in over 20 years. I remember being horrified when I heard her plea for her son. At that time we had a son who had recently strayed in his relationship with Christ. I thought to myself, “if I had to wait over 20 years, I don’t think I could take it.” I cried for this woman (and prayed).
Little did I know that we would eventually have two sons, who would stray. It would be 24 years and 20 years and counting, that they would live out of fellowship with Christ. It has been so very daily, and so very difficult emotionally —more difficult than I could ever say.
But when I read of a testimony, such as is given above, I feel a glimmer of more hope. Plus, I’m so glad that someone else’s pain has been lessened. I’m praying it will happen soon for those of you who are praying for change in your spouse and/or a prodigal.
While in the Waiting Room…
On that same note, however, what do you do while you are waiting? You keep your eyes on the Lord and do the best you can trying not to focus on what isn’t happening right now, but rather what the Lord shows you to do, while you’re in this waiting room time of your life.
I found another article, posted on the Internet, written by Jill Savage. She wrote a blog in 2012 that her husband was making “a U-turn” in walking back towards their marriage. But even so, during this time, she confessed to something she has learned to do while she is in a waiting room time in her marriage.
Loneliness While Praying for a Change
In the article, Sleeping Single in a King-sized Bed, Jill explains on her web site:
“I’m still sleeping single in a king-sized bed and honestly evenings and nights are the hardest for me. This is when loneliness kicks in. It’s when feelings of rejection threaten to overtake me and tears of pain seem to come without warning.
“However, this is also when I draw closest to God. I talk to Him as a friend and He talks to me through His word. I try to read my Bible each night when I crawl in bed (Psalm 61, 62, 63, 139 and Galatians 5 are favorites). His word changes my perspective. It replaces lies with truth. That truth brings me hope in the midst of what sometimes feels hopeless. It squashes fear that feels so tangible. It brings me peace… a peace that passes all understanding… truly a peace that makes no sense.
“And as I crawl under the sheets, the last thing I usually whisper before I sleep is, ‘Hold me Jesus. I need to feel your arms around me.’ And He does. And I do.”
Here’s another article I encourage you to read concerning a wife who is praying for a spiritual change in her marriage. It is actually written by her husband who at one time was a pastor who strayed from his faith. His wife committed it to prayer:
• WHY MY WIFE WAS SNEAKING OUT OF BED AT 2 A.M.
Abiding While Waiting for Change
Sometimes, we pray and wait. Sometimes we pray and see God work sooner or later (even though it’s not in the timing we would originally want). The devotional page written by Nancy DeMoss shows testimony to that. Thank God that we DO see God at work.
But sometimes we pray, wait, and abide, trying not to “grow weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9), looking to God for the help we can (as Jill Savage testifies). The other alternative is roll up in a little ball and be consumed by the hurt you feel. Clearly, that isn’t healthy for anyone… understandable, given the situation, but not healthy in any way.
I hope as you pray for a change in your spouse, your marriage, and other prodigals who are in your life, you will be able to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
I Hope With You
I hope that this blog (and web site) brings hope in some way, as God leads. With my whole heart I encourage you to lean upon the Lord because:
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).
May you feel His strength… and may your hope never die. I pray God continually infuses hope into your heart that you will experience better days —ones that will bring a smile to your heart.
Cindy Wright of Marriage Missions International wrote this blog.
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Tagged: change your approach, pray for spouse, prayer for spouse, praying for difficult spouse, praying for spouse, prodigal spouse
Filed under: Spiritual Matters
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