MY THOUGHTS on Stormie OMartian's "The Power of a Praying Wife"
Chapter 27: HIS OBEDIENCE

Having a husband who isn't following the Lord (and doesn't care to) is especially difficult for a wife  for many reasons, but one is because the she knows she's right and he's wrong.  Hear me out... it's NEVER easy when a wife thinks she's right because that means that the husband is wrong... and we know how a husband responds to that (just like we do when they think we're wrong!).  But ladies, it's very important for me to remind you, this is not about "right" or "wrong" so do everything to prevent yourself from getting stuck in this mindset (I hear prayer works... tee hee...).

Regardless of what the "issue" might be at any time in our marriage, we want to be the "right" one in the relationship.  Where Christianity is involved, a different issue, there may still the same thought process and goal that holds true as any other "discussion" between a couple... "I want to be right!"  I can honestly say, following God IS the right answer... but HOW you go about it has it's wrong and right ways too.

If your husband is either struggling with God, doesn't believe as you do, or doesn't believe at all, telling him he's stupid or nagging him to go to church is NOT going to change his mind.  In fact, you may actually be making him plant his feet even further into the ground refusing to budge!

If you clearly observe your husband walking down ta wrong path, should you say something?  If so, how much should you say and when is the right time to say it?  The best way I've found to proceed is to take it to God FIRST and weigh it on HIS scales.  He may instruct you to just be quiet and pray... but if He does direct you to speak to your husband about the matter, there will be a far greater chance of hm hearing God's voice somewhere in your words if you've prayed BEFORE you speak.  -Stormie OMartian (p.184)

Ladies, you want your husband to OWN his faith in God.  If you tell him what God wants him to do, and then he does it because you told him... who is he being obedient to?  (Now, don't get funny with me either... as nice as that may sound, you really don't want your husband to be obedient to you and not have a brain... if you do, then there are some other issues that YOU need to deal with.)  Our husbands NEED to be responsible for their obedience to the Lord, and as wives we need to pray for them to have that strong desire for God in their lives... whether they're Christ followers or not.

If your husband is following the Lord, he could still could be disobedient by not doing what God asks...

No man can receive all God has for him if he is not living in obedience... (but) walking in obedience has to do not only with keeping God's commandments, but also with heeding God's specific instructions.  For example, if God has instructed your husband to rest and he doesn't do it, that's disobedience.  If he has told him to stop doing a certain type of work and he keeps doing it, that's disobedience.  If He has told him to move to another place and he doesn't move, that's disobedience, too.  -Stormie OMartian (p.185)

See how important it is to cover this area in prayer whether your husband is a Christian or not?  Remember, just as it's important for your husband to be obedient to the Lord... it's just as important for you to be as well.  You are not in charge of your husband and treating him that way will only bring problems.

If your husband's disobedience to God's ways has already brought down your house in some manner, know that God will honor your obedience and He will see that you will not be destroyed.  He will pour His blessings on your and restore what has been lost.   -Stormie OMartian (p.185)

Do the right thing no matter what.  When faced with the question of what to do when it comes to saying something or not, ask yourself this:  "It could be right to tell my husband this, or it could be wrong to tell him... but it could NEVER be wrong to pray and wait for God to tell me what to do."

Dear Heavenly Father,  Please reveal any disobedience in my own life, especially with my husband.  Show me if I'm selfish, unloving, critical, angry, resentful, unforgiving, or bitter toward him (p.186).  I also pray for my husband to obey You and hear your voice clearly so he won't disobey You.  If there is any way in which he's disobeying You, I pray for him to be convicted and for his heart to soften and change.  Please give him the strength to be disciplined and pursue what You desire for him.  I pray for him to do good, speak evil of no  one, and be peaceable, gentle, and humble (p.186).  Thank you for his heart to do Your will Lord.  May his heart always seek You throughout the rest of his life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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It's not too late to join us for the month of June as we pray for our husbands!  You can check out more about it by clicking the following link: S.H.M.I.L.Y. for 30 days of prayer...  Please share a link to your blog post if you've made one on this chapter!