Years ago we knew a retired pastor who would often suggest, “Let’s just stop and have a breath of prayer.” Something about that phrase made prayer approachable, simple, and unencumbered.
You have the unique opportunity to know your spouse at a deeper, more intimate level than anyone on the face of the earth. As such, God has positioned you like no one else to be able to pray for your mate through the course of their day.
Begin the habit of having a “breath of prayer” throughout the day for your spouse. Here are some simple things to keep in mind:
1. Keep it short and simple
There certainly can be times you set aside to pray more extensively for your spouse and your marriage, but this is more simple and in the moment. You might pray, “God, please bless ________ and give them wisdom in their meeting right now.” Or, “God, give my spouse a sense of your favor even as they do some thankless tasks today.”
It doesn’t take much to breathe a breath of prayer. You can pepper your day with brief moments of intercession.
2. Respond to promptings
There will be moments in your day when your spouse comes to mind. Seize those opportunities to offer up a prayer on their behalf. It could very well be that the Holy Spirit is alerting you for a reason for which only the “heavenly realms” are aware.
3. Ask your spouse
Find out what they would like you to pray for on their behalf. Ask them what’s happening in their day. Even normal meetings, or working at home are intercessory-worthy!
Do you know your spouse’s top three prayer requests? Ask! And then use brief moments through the day to simply lift those requests up in prayer.
4. Ask God
The Spirit of God can give you insights and direction on what to pray for your spouse as well. Simply ask God to place on your heart or in your mind anything that He wants you to pray about for them.
This is where the adventure of prayer kicks in. You never know what God will reveal or how He will prompt you to pray. As you are responsive to Him you will begin to experience an increase in your faith and confidence in His leadings. In fact, you will become even more attuned to His Spirit overall.
5. Check back
Every few days, check back with your spouse about the prayer requests they gave you. Is there improvement? Do they want to modify the focus of your prayers?
If you’ve been specifically prompted by God to offer a breath of prayer about something during the day, ask your spouse that evening about it. Even if there is no perceptible impact of your prayer, the fact that you were obedient and prayed will be an encouragement to them.
So begin to breathe a breath of prayer for your spouse and watch how God uses it to build your marriage!