Praying for Your Spouse When Your Marriage Is Struggling
By: Vivian Bricker
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24).
As Christians, we are aware of how important prayer is in our Christian walk. Prayer is our direct line of communication with God, and we can hear back from Him through His Word. When we think about prayer, we often think about praying for what we need and lifting up God's Name in praise. This is right, and we should continue to do this; however, we also need to be praying for our spouse.
Sometimes, praying for our spouse can slip our mind. This can be especially true if we have fallen on hard times with our spouse. If we are mad at them or something bad happens, it can be easy to neglect praying for them. Rather than forgetting them when we pray or intentionally choosing not to pray for them, we need to start, regardless of what is going on in our lives.
We must pray for our spouse, whether we are mad at them or things are going smoothly. If your marriage is facing a hardship, such as constant arguments, you need to pray for your spouse. Even if they are the one in the wrong, you still need to pray for them. Together, you need to work toward reconciliation.
What is causing you and your spouse to have constant arguments? Maybe someone feels unheard in the marriage or not enough time is being invested in the marriage. Try to find the root of the problem and pray for God's help in finding a solution. Always being at odds or angry at your spouse will only fuel problems. Choose to come to an understanding and work toward mutual love once again.
There are many other reasons why a person's marriage may be struggling, such as infidelity or abuse. When these types of things are in the picture, things can change quite some bit. If your spouse has been unfaithful to you, then you are not called to stay in the marriage (Matthew 19:9). You have the option to end the marriage if you want.
However, if you and your spouse do not want the marriage to end, you can work toward a restored marriage. It will take time, effort, and Christian couples' therapy, but it is possible to repair a marriage after infidelity. For some couples, their marriage can come out even stronger.
On the other hand, if abuse is what is causing your marriage to struggle, then there is no reason to stay. Abuse goes against God's design for marriage. While the Bible never directly says this, there is no reason to believe that God wants us to stay in a marriage where we are being physically, emotionally, or sexually abused. God designed marriage to be a beautiful blessing, not a curse. Therefore, know that if you are undergoing any sort of abuse, then you are not required to pray for your spouse or to stay.
These two examples are the only grounds for divorce, which tells us that any other issue can be worked through. However, no issue can be worked through apart from prayer and God's help. Even if you don't feel like it, pray for your spouse. Ask the Lord to help them, direct them, and give them guidance. You might be surprised as to what a prayer could do.
Jesus tells us, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24). Everything the Lord says is true, which means that if we believe what we ask for in prayer, it will be given to us. Rather than doubting the Lord, we need to fully believe He can do all things, including helping our struggling marriage.
However, nothing will change unless we start praying for our spouse. Pray for your spouse and genuinely want the best for them. Believe fully that the Lord can help you and bring your heart peace. He can bring restoration and reconciliation within your marriage. Go to Him today, present your feelings, and pray for your spouse. Even after times are going well again, continue to pray for your spouse and trust in the Lord.
"Dear Jesus, my marriage is struggling, and I don't feel like praying for my spouse. After what happened, I feel at odds with them. Please help me to forgive and to start moving forward. I'm giving the situation to You and ask that You help restore my marriage. Please equip me with the empathy, sympathy, and understanding I need in order to work through this issue. Amen."
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
Originally published Monday, 25 August 2025.
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