A struggling relationship is a source of immense emotional pain. If you’ve ever endured a broken marriage or a slowly dwindling long-term dating relationship, you know how difficult it can be to find lasting reconciliation. If this is you, the power of prayer may be just what you need. Faith is a powerful thing, and appealing to God for the health of your relationship can have amazing results. Used in conjunction with other efforts, such as relationship counseling, prayer can be downright miraculous.
Rest assured that God hears your prayers and that He cares about you. His answers may not always come in the form we expect, but they do come when we ask for help. And sometimes, the very act of praying can bring about a huge change in your life. When we pray, we take our abstract desires and put them into words. We say what we want out loud. Sometimes, that’s enough to help us make sense of our problems and go about finding the solutions—God works through natural means as much as He does through the miraculous. But whichever way prayer works out for you, it’s always worth your time. To help you learn how to use prayer well, let’s take a look at 7 examples of prayers for a struggling relationship.
A prayer for understanding.
Most relationship issues stem from a lack of understanding. It’s difficult to truly know the motivations and subconscious forces behind the actions of another individual, no matter how close they are to us—especially when they don’t know these things themselves.But when understanding does come, you can use what you’ve learned to heal your relationship. Here’s a prayer to help you do that:
"Heavenly Father, I profess that I do not understand my partner’s needs. I don’t know how to fix our problems. Please open my eyes to my partner so that I can see why they act the way they do. Please help me understand my motivations and needs so that I know when I am wrong.
Lord, grant us both a greater understanding of one another and take away the preconceived notions and assumptions that are keeping us from truly communicating. Bring my partner and me closer together and closer to You than ever before. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.”
A prayer for peace.
When things aren’t going well at home, it can feel like there’s no peace in your life. The one person in the world who should be your refuge isn’t, and this can absolutely take away your sense of peace. But God is the God of peace, and praying for its return in your relationship is incredibly important. Here’s a great example of a prayer for God to bring about supernatural peace between you and your partner:
“Lord, my relationship has become difficult. There is fighting and unease. There’s tension and resentment. I feel that I have nowhere to turn. Please let there be peace between my partner, and I. Grant us the kind of peace that only you can give, Lord, and help us feel at ease with one another. Drain away any resentment, anger, or tension that has built up between us. Help us to seek compromise rather than struggle with one another in order to “win.” Please bless our home to be a place of peace and restfulness, as it should be. Thank you, Father. Amen.”
A prayer for revelation.
When a relationship flounders, it’s sometimes hard to know the way forward. What should you do differently? Is your partner hiding something from you? And if they are, should you give up and go your separate ways? For guidance in these things and more, turn to prayer. Here’s an example: “
Lord, I take comfort in the fact that You know all things. My relationship is struggling, and I don’t know what to do. Please reveal to me the things that I, or my partner, can do better in order for our relationship to please You. And if it’s time to end the relationship, please help me to see and accept this. Please open my eyes to any abuse that I may be suffering and give me the strength to escape it. If my partner is hiding something from me, let it come to light so that I can make an informed decision. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
A prayer for healing.
The knowledge of exactly what is wrong in your relationship may not be enough to save it. Sometimes, the divide can grow so wide and so deep that it takes a miracle to bring the two of you back together. Luckily, a miracle may be only a prayer away. Here’s how you can pray for healing within your relationship:
“Dear God, I ask that you please heal the damage that has built up through the long struggle my partner and I have been through in our relationship. Please bless us both with the wisdom to take the knowledge of what we’ve done wrong and use it to make things better. Lord, let love suffuse our relationship. Let it fill every corner of our lives, healing the rift between us. Help my partner and I to love one another as Christ loves the Church, as you love your human children unconditionally and respectfully. In Christ’s name, amen.”
A prayer for forgiveness.
Few things are more difficult than true forgiveness—even in the most dedicated of relationships. When you feel that someone has slighted you, it’s easy to fall into the habit of holding a grudge. But over time, these grudges can wreck even the best relationships. Here’s how to pray for both forgiveness and the ability to forgive your partner:
“Heavenly Father, please forgive me of my sins—including those I have committed against my loved one. And just as You are willing to forgive me, help me to forgive my partner, as well. Please help me to let go of my grudges. Please help me to let go of the possibility of revenge. Let the cycle of retribution stop in my relationship—let it be ended with forgiveness and love. Help us to be Christlike in our forgiveness, Lord, and give us the strength to let go.” In Christ’s name, Amen.”
A prayer for transformation.
Sometimes, what a relationship needs is nothing short of a total transformation. This might mean anything from a radical shift of worldview to a new set of daily habits or a different way of dealing with emotions. But because we are creatures of habit, a total transformation is a difficult prospect. It is possible, though, that God can help you and your partner make the changes you need in order to heal your relationship. Here’s how to ask for help:
“Lord, please help my partner and I to bear the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let these qualities transform us. God, please give us the strength to make these qualities permanent habits. Let them be on our minds at all times, influencing all that we do and bringing healing to our relationship. Lord, I realize that I must take ownership of my life and make the changes necessary for a good relationship to happen. Please help me change the ways in which I must and, just as importantly, not change the ways that I shouldn’t. I love You, God. Amen.”
A prayer for growth.
When you have prayed, gone to counseling, changed habits, and transformed your lives for the better, your relationship will improve. But unless you learn and grow from what you’ve experienced, you may repeat the same mistakes in the future. To keep that from happening, make a habit of praying for growth. Here’s an example of how to do that:
“God, I pray that you help me learn from my difficulties. My relationship struggled, and now my partner and I are doing better, but please help us both to remember how we came back to happiness. Let us not forget our struggles, even as we move past them, lest we repeat them in the future. I also ask that you help us form wisdom from what we’ve learned and that we can use that wisdom to make our relationship with one another better than ever before. Please make something beautiful out of our previous suffering. Amen.”
Heavenly help.
If you love your significant other but can’t quite seem to make your relationship into what it should be, help is only a prayer away. Whether you pray alone or with your partner, make it a habit. Pray daily. God will hear your words, and although His help may come in unexpected ways, it will come. Remain open to help from all sources, and you’ll have the best chance of properly receiving an answer to your prayers. If you’re struggling, there’s hope. Just ask for a little heavenly help.
More helpful prayers for couples:
7 Prayers for Healing - use these when you or a loved one needs God to help them heal from sickness.
Prayers for Those Trying to Conceive - it is hard to conceive a child sometimes, so involve God with these prayers.
Prayer for Help With Finances - finances can cause burdens on the wallet and your relationship.
Prayers to Help You During Wedding Planning - every bride needs God’s help with this process.
