Do you believe in miracles? How about marriage miracles? We do; we’re hoping you do too. Perhaps you need one of those marriage miracles to happen in your own marital relationship. Please don’t lose hope.
“Two thousand years ago, in the midst of a marriage, Jesus met an impossible need with His supernatural intervention. Today, the scene is set again with you and the one you have promised your life to. The couple, the need —the miracles that God can bring.” (Ron Hutchcraft)
Being in marriage ministry, Cindy and I find it interesting that Jesus chose to perform His first miracle at a wedding. His glory was revealed in marriage. (You can read about it in John 2:1-11.)
We believe that most marriages face times when they need a touch from God. We are certain, that if we had not “invited Christ” into our lives and marriage back in 1974, in all likelihood, we would be divorced by now. (And we’d certainly never be in marriage ministry.) Even today, many years later, we still depend on the Lord’s help to keep our marriage strong —one that reflects the heart of Christ.
Marriage Miracles
In his book, “Start Your Trip With A Full Tank” Ron Hutchcraft talks about “Marriage Miracles.” This can be an encouragement for all of us. He writes:
“Maybe your marriage could use a miracle right now. That day in Cana there was a change that no man or woman could make. Nobody can change water into wine, but Jesus did. Maybe right now some change is urgently needed in your home. There is a need that must be met if your relationship is going to be what it needs to be.
“Maybe it is time for Cana revisited —a marriage miracle. Right now there’s a strain, a distance, resentment, and frustration. Maybe there are thoughts of bitterness and giving up.
“Have you been to your knees yet? Have you prayed —pouring out your mess, your pain, and your dark feelings to the Lord —crying out together for Jesus’ healing in your marriage? The less you feel like doing it, the more you need to. And if your partner will not, don’t let that stop you.
Inviting Jesus
“This passage in John 2, says Jesus had been invited to this wedding, to this marriage. If you have not done so before, why not invite Him into your marriage? Close the door on quitting. Ask God to show you the HOPE FACTORS you can build upon. You have looked at the hopelessness factors long enough. Can you pray this? ‘Lord, we can’t make it work. And we/I don’t know how You would, but we beg You to help us to do what WE CAN’T, at this point in our marriage.'”
If both of you are followers of Christ, yet your unhappiness causes you to feel like giving up on your marriage, we urge you to empty yourselves of whatever agendas you may be clinging onto. Pray TOGETHER that God will pour out His Spirit of reconciliation upon you. Pray that the Lord will help you to see the hope factors. Learn how to become partners rather than adversaries, to the glory of God.
For the Glory of God
“If happiness is our primary goal, we’ll get a divorce as soon as happiness seems to wane. If receiving love is our primary goal, we’ll dump our spouse as soon as they seem to be less attentive. But if we marry for the glory of God, to model His love and commitment to our children, and reveal His witness to the world, divorce makes no sense.” (Gary Thomas)
Fred and Florence Littauer in their book, Daily Marriage Builders for Couples
“Is there any hope? Is there any possibility that change can be affected in your lives in the way you treat one another? Can you change the way you react to your mate when something unkind or cutting is said to you? Somehow on our own we are not able to control our own reactions to what we perceive to be hurtful negatives. But the Bible tells me I can do all things! Yes, we can do all things, but we must complete the verse: ‘I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me.‘
“There lies the answer. All my known resolutions will probably go for naught, but when I enlist the Lord Jesus to help me, to do what I cannot do on my own, amazing and rewarding changes can take place. We must not, however, forget the first part of that verse. It says, ‘I can do all things.‘ We are not directed to let Christ to do it for us. We must do it ourselves BUT with His help.”
Oswald Chambers wrote:
“We cannot do what God does and …God will not do what we can do. We cannot save ourselves nor sanctify ourselves, God does that; but God will not give us good habits. He will not give us character. He will not make us walk aright. We have to get into the habit of hearkening to God about everything, to form the habit of finding out what God says.”
Bible teacher, Beth Moore, who has worked through her share of marital problems, reminds us:
“Sometimes God works through miracles and other times through the individual.”
…”When we trust our lives to the unseen but ever-present God, He will write our lives into His story and every last one of them will turn out out be a great read, with a grand ending.”
But we must not lose sight of the ultimate “grand ending” we’re to aim for in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. It’s is to one day hear the Lord tell us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Paul Tripp, in his book, What Did You Expect?: Redeeming the Realities of Marriage
He wrote:
“Our desire is that our marriages would be the location of our comfort, ease, and enjoyment; we often have desires no bigger than this. But God’s purpose is that each of our marriages would be a tool for something that is way more miraculous and glorious than our tiny, little, self-focussed definition of happiness. He has designed marriage to be one of the most effective and efficient tools of personal holiness. He has designed your marriage to change you.”
Another reminder from Beth Moore may be good to consider:
“We lose our strength when we wait upon an event. But our strength will be renewed when we wait upon the Lord.”
Keep your eyes upon the Lord. Ask for HIS perspective, HIS strength, and HIS help in unraveling this thing. Ask Him to help you approach issues in your marriage in ways that reflect His heart. When you do, the results will be no less miraculous than when Jesus turned the water into wine.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!“ (Romans 15:5-6)
Cindy and Steve Wright
Filed under: Marriage Messages
(USA) Hi my name is Elisabet and my husbands name is Erik… We are a young couple only turning 21, this year. We are married, but our marriage has had a lot of problems… I still want to work this marriage out but my husband said he is done trying. We have a one year old daughter and I am 5 months pregnant with our little boy. Like I said, I want everything to work out good and I want us to be a family all over again. (The prioblem is that we lived close to his parents …. the only way that it could work out is that we find our own place and he works for somebody else.)
I’m not saying that we cant communicate with them but keep our distance.. for many reasons is the best..) He prefers to stay there and work for his father… and my daughter and I are staying at a shelter that helps with finding a job and housing. But all I want God willing, is that we are a family again and that my husband can start going to church with me because that may help us ..Please pray for our marriage… thanks and God bless you.
(USA) I do not even know why I wish for prayer for a marriage restoration miracle. My husband of 10 yrs, Jack left me April 17, 2011, while I was at church. He was at home, then, moving his stuff out, without even telling me. He is a former missionary, yes a believer. He not only left me, but also walked out of our business, as subcontractors, to go work for a rival subcontractor.
The grass is not always greener, on the other side. It turned out badly for him, as his new boss has lied and cheated Jack of thousands of dollars in weekly wages, took out more deductions, than he was supposed to. Yet Jack stays, I guess, because he is too proud to admit he was wrong, and to return home. I have had no income since then, as Jack was the foreman and the other helper, could not do the business without Jack.
I went from having a nice living to having to depend on charity from the churches, and ministries to pay my rent, and going to the foodbank for food. It is scary, as now I cannot pay July’s rent. Pray that somehow, the benevolence ministries, can help me again, as I have been looking for work, without any success. Pls also pray for my health. I had to be taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, as there were pains in my chest, and I had a hard time breathing, and talking. I thought I was suffering a heart attack. I was given oxygen, which helped me breathe. Thank God, the doctor at the ER, checked me out, and said, I was suffering an anxiety attack, and there was nothing serious with my heart.
I have had so many thoughts of suicide, even calling in to different tv ministries, if no one answered. But they always answered, and told me, or scared me out of hurting myself, by telling me about hell.
My husband has cut off contact with me, changing his phone number, and moving out of the area. This is the same man, whose life I have saved, several times, whose career I rescued, whom I kept out of jail, and the same man, who filed bankruptcy on the IRS last year, with my own savings. And even though he cheated on me , by having a cheap one week adulterous fling with someone, he barely knew, I forgave him, and took him back. I guess, in 10 years, one does see the good and all the bad in one’s spouse. Jack waited, till we had filed our 2010 income taxes, this April 15th, and just took off, on April 17th. 2011. Even though he had barely any money, he still took off, without telling me, without giving our marriage a chance, for counselling, for reconciliation. Maybe he had someone else, on the side. I do not know, but he sure likes talking to the ladies, and seems to have more women friends than he does guy friends. That is most disconcerting. So why should I stand for my marriage? Why do I still care enough for him, that if he came back sick, and homeless, begging me to take him back, I just might consider it? I don’t know, Must be the Christ compassion in me, pulsing.
(INDIA) Hi! I am 27 years old and reside in India. I am not yet married. I was in love with a guy and was head over heels for him and never listened to my parents and only listened to him. I knew he loved me a lot but he never treated me right… but that no excuse for what I did. I decided to cheat on him and was having an affair for almost 6 month. After this a felt disgusted about myself and just decided to stop what I was doing. The mistake I made is not to tell my boyfriend what I had done.
In 2007, everything was really going well with us once again and everything was so very fine, when suddenly my boyfriend found out what I had done and he left me. I was really miserable. It took me a long time to get over him and come to terms with reality. I prayed unceasingly that he should come back to me and be with me. After a while I eventually accepted the fact that he was never going to come back.
My parents had seen someone for me. I was seeing this guy for a year and never really loved him or liked him… I could only find faults with him and was never really happy in this relationship. Then suddenly in 2010 I get a call from my boyfriend (the one whom I really loved) and I was really excited about him. But the problem was that I was in another relationship. This time around I told the guy that my boyfriend had come back and I was going to be happy if I was with him and I wouldn’t be happy otherwise. The guy and my parents tried every possible way to convince me to stay, but I just could not. And I was back with my old boyfriend. I was so very happy. I cannot explain how happy I was cause God heard my prayers and brought him back to me.
We were seeing each other from Jan 2010 till Nov 2011. During this period I once again had a tough time with my boyfriend. This time it was worse as he kept reminding me about my past and what I had done. I used to listen to him patiently and cry myself to sleep. With great difficulty I forgave myself and now he kept reminding me of what I did. I put up with him and what he said.
In the month of Sept 2011, there was another guy named Vijay who had joined my workplace. Initially, we didn’t speak to each other but I knew he was the right person and started hating the guy who I was in love with for almost 8 years (His name is Shiva). I used to feel so guilty doing what I was doing but I used to chat with Vijay on facebook while I was still seeing Shiva. I felt history repeating itself. Me and Vijay had planned a date as well, and all this was happening while I was still seeing Shiva. I knew I wanted to leave Shiva not because I found someone… but because I knew how unhappy the both of us were. That’s when I told Shiva that I wanted to be with Vijay. Shiva did not let go. He kept telling me to be with him but I just could not… There was this temporary hate inside which had developed.
Here is the problem I am facing now. I still do love Shiva and wish good things for him but I know we would never be happy together. Vijay and me began seeing each other since Nov 2011. He was like the perfect guy I always wanted. I just know I will be so happy with him. He had told me that he would marry me and asked his parents to come and see me. But his parents have not agreed as they have seen another girl for him and he is unable to argue with his parents and tell them that he wants to be with me.
Today I am writing to you asking you to pray for me and Vijay cause I don’t know why I feel that he is the right one for me. I am helpless and don’t really know what to do. I feel so bad for the things I have done and feel that God is punishing me for my mistakes. I really need your prayers and help to make things work between me and Vijay cause I am unable to let go and accept the fact that he is will be getting married to someone else. I don’t think I will ever be able to love again. Please help me.
(CARIBBEAN) Natasha, I implore you to STOP a moment. You are being led completely by your emotions. History shows that your emotions (and mine) are not trustworthy. We can think we love someone today and hate them a week later. You do not need prayer to stay with Vijay, you need to hear from God. You need a WORD directly from him.
My opinion and your opinion on this situation makes no difference. Please ask the Lord for wisdom. Pause a moment, get alone with God and just quiet yourself down. Listen. Listen. Listen. Read scripture on wisdom and then listen some more. HE WILL SPEAK. If you do not do this and you rush ahead into this, your third, relationship, I fear it will end in disaster yet again.
You have asked for prayer but you have not said whether you are a Christian or if any of these suitors are saved. I will pray that God will make his will clear to you. Please inquire of him most desperately before making a decision. God has a great plan for you, he is working it out even now.
(USA) Please pray for my marriage, Ana and Mark. We’ve been having problems in our marriage in which we could be separated for good. I want my family to be ok and together. Me and my husband grew up without a father and we both know how it is to have the feeling of not having a father there for you.
I love my husband with all my heart and I wish to have a happy marriage. We’ve been together 13 years with 9 being married. We have 3 beautiful kids and another one on the way. I want my kids to have their father close to them. Please, please, help me, help us. I’m pregnant and in so much pain seeing my family falling apart. Help me get the miracle from God, and the name of Jesus, to do some miracle for my family. Thank you very much!!!
(USA) Please pray that my marriage will be healed and saved. Help my husband, Ken to want to love me again. Fill him with God’s unconditional love and help him to know God’s truth. Give Ken the wisdom to end his affair with Kirvan. help Kirvan to leave my husband alone. Fill her with the Holy Spirit and help her to find a good man who is available. Protect our two small children so they will not feel the pain of our situation. Continue to increase my strength and faith in God. Help me to trust God above all I see and feel. Thank you for the glorious miracle that I am receiving.
(AUSTRALIA) Stephen and Tavia. A completely romantic Christ-centered marriage I ask Lord. Thank you for your blessings.
(USA) My husband and I are unequally yoked. Although he was saved to my knowledge before we got married God allowed me, but did not call me into this marriage, and it has been a nightmare. We got pregnant a year and half after we met and God called me to Himself through our first born. I did not marry him right away but a few years later. We have been together 16 years, 10 married.
I feel like I need to live for God’s glory. I’m weary overall and wish I was loved and accepted for who I am, but I’m not. I live often mistreated, criticized constantly and lonely. I’m attempting to sow in tears and bloom where I am planted. I took this position almost four years ago.
Please pray that I would live for His glory. Please pray for my heart to heal from all the pain. Please pray for my husband’s heart. That God would draw Him to Himself, taking away his heart of stone and giving him a heart of flesh and a new Spirit (Ezekiel). Please pray for protection over our family, we have two sons and a daughter. And that God would restore the years the locusts have eaten. Praise Him that one day He will return and all the sorrow and pain will be done! Glory to God!
(UGANDA) Please pray for my relationship which is not going on well. -Harriet and Selly
(UGANDA) Please pray for my relationship which is not going on well. -Harry and Selly
(US) Today I have gotten on my knees, cried & asked God to breathe life into my broken marriage. When my husband came home from work, he said he’s had enough & wants a divorce (placing his ring on his other hand to show that the marriage is over in his heart, mind & spirit). I stood in his face & said “NO”, that God has the final say on this (in which he said that divorce is what the spirit of God wants him to do).
As my heart broke into a billion pieces I told him, (asking GOD for strength not to give in to the enemy) “IT AIN’T OVER TILL GOD SAYS IT’S OVER. I LOVE YOU STILL.” I use “The Power Of A Praying Wife book by Stormie Omartian as a guide on how to pray for my husband, his attitude, emotions, etc., because it’s the only thing that keeps me from falling apart.
As desperate as I am to give my husband what he wants, a voice inside of me say’s “FIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGE & DON’T GIVE UP, I WOULD BREATHE LIFE IN YOUR MARRIAGE, WHERE LOVE HAS DIED. NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS OR DO, DON’T GIVE UP I AM HERE.” …Please pray with me that the enemy loses this battle & that God will give us the victory. Thank you & God Bless!
(US) Prencess, I am in your same situation with my wife. I pray to God he saves my marriage as I pray for yours, as well. Please, tell me how things are with you and your husband. I have a lot of Faith and Hope in God that he will help me move this mountain of separation, will cast the temptations of the devil away from her and our marrriage, and will let us reunite once more to live His life how He wants us to. Please, if you can read this, say a prayer for my marriage, for my wife to come home. I say all this in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus. Amen
I am going through the exact same thing right now. Do you have any words of wisdom or hope?
Praying.
Still praying for mine & yours.
Please pray for me and my husband. I tried talking to him asking if he is happy; there is never any attention or affection! I came home and asked him if I had done anything to upset him or make him mad and he yells and says no, saying he gets sick of me nagging, and I say do you want your marriage and he yells and says no! I said so what are you telling me? Do you want a divorce? He yells and says yes!!!!
I am so crushed and we talked about everything for 3 days of me crying and he says ok he will try. He even went to extreme of taking my name off the bank account and closed my debit card, but I have since gotten back on. I contacted the pastor and he talked to him. We went to church last Sunday and now not there today due to he has to take his son to work, but I’m so lonely and just want the little things! The looks, a little touch here and there and just to feel loved and appreciated!
I have prayed out loud everyday that Satan is NOT welcome in this home! In the name of Jesus! I just sit and keep my mouth shut to him, but still nothing, he has even changed the code on his phone and I ask him why when he gave me his phone to go into Kroger and get a movie and phone went out and I hit the code I knew but it didn’t work! He says that’s when all that happened last week, I say what do you have to hide?
(INDIA) Please pray for me. I have been broken for the last 20 years. 24 months ago the biggest hit happened. The rose tinited glass has shattered. I see all as it really is. Please help me God.
(SOUTH AFRICA) Today we face the challenge of the final blow on our marriage restoration after over 30 years. Satan is out to kill and destroy generations, but we are more than conquerers through Christ Jesus. For this we have Jesus. We desperately need God’s divine supernatural power to wipe out the family devourer worldwide by the mighty Power of God. Please pray for us as we ask God’s Power to take hold of our situation and turn it into a beautiful testimony of hope for the nations. Believing the God of the impossible. -Family of Hope
(PHILIPPINES) I want to tell you something about my prayer request? for my husband & restoration marriage. My husband decided to be separated to me already. He doesn’t have love for me anymore & he can’t back me anymore 100%. I got hurt my heartache and am suffering now. I have one my son, 3 yrs old. I really need my husband back together with our family & supporting our family. Please pray for my husband. Let God touch his heart & his mind for the Lord. He is unchristian but he ignores my verses and shares God’s word already. I am patience the Lord will help me. I am really praying all night, day, & week. I am crying to the Lord. I tell God how I feel? Pray for his mom in law to allow us restoration of our marriage. I know his mom wants to separate us.. It hurts too much… thanks and God bless. -Che
(AUSTRALIA) I pray in Jesus name for the restoration of this marriage. Lord, I speak against the work of the enemy in this marriage. The interference of family influence i know is the work of the devil, in Jeus matchless name I speak against and bind every work of the devil in this lady’s life, her son’s life and her husband’s life. Lord, redirect the husband to know his place in his home and that is the head of this household. In Jesus name I pray.
(AUSTRALIA) Dear God, I ask for a miracle to restore my marriage today. I pray my husband to return to me today. We have been married for 10 years and I believe that God didn’t put me in this marriage just to get me out now. Please God save my marriage now; in Jesus name I pray.