Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.(James 1:19-20)
We are often so busy speaking that we don't take time to listen. We are so quick to offer a comment (negative or positive) that we don't really "hear" our husband's heart.
Remember, we have two ears and only one mouth. We need to listen more! As you continue in this 30-day challenge, not speaking negatively and focusing on positive encouragement, hear the Lord's advice today: "Be swift to hear".
If listening is a real problem for you, play a game with yourself. See if you can listen to your husband for one whole day, only speaking when asked a question. If your husband notices the difference, explain that you are learning to listen more, not only to God, but also to him.
One easy way to express admiration for your husband is to ask a question about something he enjoys, and then listen to his response. If it's an area of personal familiarity, keep asking questions until you learn something you didn't know, then tell
him, "Wow, I didn't know that!", and enjoy the continued conversation!
While praying for your husband today, bind the spirits of pride, spiritual blindness, self-sufficiency & self-righteousness far from my him in the name of Jesus, in order that he’ll give the Lord all the glory for what He's doing in your husband's life. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career as well as in ministry for the Lord, will be a growing part of his character... persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
(Colossians 2:8)
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
(Romans 12:10-13)
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 15:58)
Whether your husband already has a strong root in doing these things, or is an unsaved sinner running from God, prayers seeking these things with selfless humility will uplift and encourage him to become or continue to be a spiritual leader and guardian of the home as God has designed him to be!
Just a reminder about this 30 Days of Covering Our Husbands in Prayer:
Each day for 30 consecutive days, I will be posting a husband related topic, devotion, motivator, and/or encouragement here on my blog. Please feel free to access this prayer challenge any time you feel ready to start, or even to re-do the challenge to enforce the strength of the Lord in your marriage. You can click here for a printable calendar to view each day when going to prayer for your husband. Each day provides specific biblical prayer topics with bible verse references that seek God to touch the lives of our husbands.
In addition to specific prayer each day, there is a daily two-part challenge for you that will build up your husband through your own spoken (and unspoken) words:
Feel free to join me at any time in this prayer venture over your husband. You can always refer to my blog archives (the beginning post is May 24, 2012) if you're starting day one while my posts are further ahead in the challenge. If you have a blog, you're welcome to take the "30 Days of Covering Our Husbands in Prayer" graphic above and link it back to this topic's starting post (here), to encourage others to meet the Lord in prayer over their husbands too. If you decide to make this a goal for the next month in your life, whether you have a blog of your own or not, please comment or send me a message, I would be honored to pray for you by name as you seek God through the journey... regardless of when you begin it!
See you tomorrow for Day Ten!
May your marriage be blessed!
Prayer studies are adapted from ©Revive Our Hearts and ©Diving Deeper Ministries.
Used with permission.
