The Bible says : “Ask and you shall receive”. If we want to get married, of course, we should talk to God first. So here are some tips to pray effectively for this next step in your life.
Many Christians like to quote the verse: “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22 NKJV) Some people focus on the word “believing” in this verse, pointing out that we must be convinced of what we ask, which is true. Other people will focus on the words “whatever things”, in this verse. Does that mean we can ask anything?
James 4.3 (NIV) shine a different light. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” With that in mind, if we read the previous verse, we understand that whatever things we ask for in faith or things related to our faith, we will receive. This is also what it says 1 John 5:14 (NKJV): “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
When we pray about our future marriage, we must first and foremost ask God in His will. Is the person’s appearance important to God? Are their heart and faith important to Him? You can tell God all about your personal preferences like hair color, height, size, etc. He knows your tastes, and He loves when you talk to Him. It’s also a good thing to verbalize your preferences because this allows you to see which preferences are essential. But before asking anything of God, make sure what you are asking for is in His will. When you declare to God that you and your family will serve the Lord, as in Joshua 24:15, He will hear you for sure!
Very few Christians have a prayer life and those who take the time to pray often pray as if they were reading a grocery list to God. “Do this… do that…” Then they leave and go on with their business. Not only is it disrespectful to God (He is not a genie in a bottle!), but it also shows a lack of affection. All God wants is to have a relationship with us. Sin separated us from Him, so He sent His only Son to pay a high price for us to have access to His presence. He desired to have a relationship with us that much!
Praying for our future marriage is not only making a list of everything we want, but it is also important to develop a strong, passionate relationship with God. There are no better marriages than a union of two people that are in love… with God! A cord with three threads is not easily broken, Ecclesiastes 4.12 (NKJV). If you want a marriage that lasts, first develop a good relationship with God.
This relationship begins with prayer because prayer is a dialogue with the King of the Universe. Sometimes we think that the One who holds the whole world in His hands shows no interest in a whining, small grain of sand! But no! He says : “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29.13-14a NKJV) In this passage, He was talking to His people that had gone astray. He asked for repentance and a change of behavior because He wanted to be with them again, and that is still His desire for each one of us.
To love your wife or husband, and to take the time to talk with them, shouldn’t be a hard or boring task. So start developing your communication skills and affection by practicing with God. Start building your future marriage by spending time with God, talking but also listening to Him. That way He can tell you how you can become the best version of yourself. Because being in His Presence… it’s the best place in the world!