A Man's Guide to Prayer預覽

Pray about everything

The Bible is clear that we are to pray about everything. Actually, a quiet time is an accommodation for overly busy people. The biblical concept is to “pray without ceasing” and meditate on God’s Word “day and night” (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 1:2). The man who wears the armor of God still needs prayer, the apostle Paul wrote, and he should pray “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18).

Pray regularly with your wife (if married) or an accountability partner

If you’re married, try praying with your wife every day. It seems like this should just make sense, but if you’re the type of guy who needs some evidence, a Harvard researcher has discovered a link. An article describing his research concludes:

Indeed, other research suggests that shared family religious activities and praying together are likewise associated with greater relationship satisfaction and greater levels of trust. Shared religious activities like praying together may help couples deal with stress, and allow them to focus on shared beliefs and hopes for the future, and deal constructively with problems in their relationship. Us ... both religious service attendance and joint prayer may be vital resources for strengthening marriage and trust, and for promoting happier, healthier, and fuller lives.

Those positive effects grow at least in part from the fact that praying with your wife symbolizes a depth of relationship with God and each other. Shaun, from Bozeman, Montana, asked his men’s group, “How many of you pray with your wives?” Only one of the eight men answered yes.

For the next year, they held each other accountable. As one man said, “It’s pretty hard to be upset or argue with your wife and still come before God with a clean heart. It forces us to communicate and humble ourselves before each other before we do something as intimate as praying together. It just permeates through the rest of your family, and day.”

Here’s an idea: Ask your wife if you can take two or three minutes each day, maybe before work, for (a) praising and thanking God, (b) asking for His intervention, and (c) interceding for others.

If you are single or want more prayer with another person, meet with a man to pray. A number of men I know have prayer partners. Some meet at set times; others call each other with specific needs. A married man should never have a woman other than his wife as a prayer partner. A single man should never have a married woman as a prayer partner.