If I can confess, I’ve never been great at intentionally praying or fasting for one thing for an extended period of time. When my girls were little, I decided I would fast for thirty days from cheese. On day three, I found myself eating macaroni straight out of the pot. Before I gave any to my kids!
That day standing over the stove was one of my lower points in life. I only tell that story because I know many of us struggle with prayer. And fasting? It seems so mythical, we don’t even go there.
After I ate the macaroni from the pot, I realized I needed a plan. If I was really going to go an entire 30 days of prayer and fasting, I needed some intention behind my prayers. I needed something to pray for.
My husband was in a very busy season at work during that time. He was gone a lot, which made life more difficult for me since I was home all day with our young daughters. When he came home in the evenings, he was truly exhausted. The business was only for a season, but it was hard and exhausting while we were in it.
The next day, I decided to pray for Tim for the next thirty days. I prayed for his endurance, his vision, clarity on making hard decisions on a project he was working on, and more. He needed those prayers during those 30 days. But one thing surprised me. I needed them too.
It changed my heart praying for him everyday. Any seeds of bitterness or discontentment that were creeping in slowly dwindled. Gratitude and humility became overwhelming daily emotions. God began showing me the big picture of His plan for our family. He not only grew my heart more for my husband, but also for Him. My heart changed forever during those thirty days.
Once a year I take four weeks and fast and pray for my husband. I’ve fasted from things ranging from cheese (a huge sacrifice), social media, and coffee. My husband loves it when I do this.
Our husbands often bear the weight of our family in a way we cannot understand.
When we sacrificially pray for our husbands, it honors and encourages them. They need to know we trust their leadership and direction. They also need to know we are their greatest supporter. They need to know we will follow them wherever God leads them. That partnership and trust often comes through prayer.
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