Praying through Weaknesses as a Couple - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - March 19

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Updated Crosswalk Couples Devotional Header

Praying through Weaknesses as a Couple
By Lynette Kittle

Pray continually, - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Even though I write articles and devotionals encouraging husbands and wives to entrust spiritual growth of their spouse to God, looking to Him to transform and change their hearts, at times I still find myself trying to speed up the process with my own husband.

Such as this morning during our prayer time together when I asked God to free my husband from impatience and irritation. Afterward, he mentioned how he really didn’t appreciate my praying for him in this way. So of course, I responded with, “Why not? Did my prayer irritate you?”

I explained to my hubby how I also ask God to fill him with His joy, peace, love, and more, and invited him to pray for God to free me of things, too. But as a seasoned husband, he gave me a look like suggesting I take the plank out of my own eye.

As Scripture explains, it’s easier for me to see a speck in his eye than it is for me to see a plank in my own eye (Matthew 7:5). If I’m seeing things in him that maybe he’s not aware of, then his openness in letting me know where I could use God’s freedom could be of tremendous help in my dealing with issues in my own life.

What might happen in our marriages, if instead of avoiding bringing up issues because we fear offending our spouse or being offended by what our husband or wife points out, if we give each other the freedom to openly address our weaknesses? How might marriages be strengthened?

James 5:16 urges us to confess our sins one to another and pray for each other. Most likely I’m probably missing faults in my life that need my confessing, issues which are very apparent to my spouse, yet ones I may be unaware of or overlooking in myself.

How much more could the devil’s schemes to rip apart marriages be thwarted, by couples being open to receiving godly correction through their spouse?

My praying for my husband in this way began because he didn’t seem to hear me when I just asked him to have kinder responses like Scripture encourages, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Colossians 3:19).

Although I was praying privately about it, too, once I prayed openly with him about it, he did seem to really hear what I was saying.

1 Peter 3:7 urges, “Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

Likewise, God says He is a witness between my husband and myself (Malachi 2:14), because we did make our marriage vows to God, making Him the center of our relationship. So who better to bring up areas of weaknesses between us than to do so together before Him?


Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, Startmarriageright.com, growthtrac.com, and more. She has an M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as an associate producer for Soul Check TV.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/LordHenriVoton

Related Resource: The Five Languages of Apology, with Dr. Gary Chapman

In this insightful episode, Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn sit down with Dr. Gary Chapman, renowned author of The Five Love Languages and The Five Languages of Apology. Together, they explore how understanding both love and apology languages can radically improve relationships. Dr. Chapman unpacks the five core ways people express and receive love—and explains how offering sincere, well-matched apologies can be just as vital to healing and connection. The conversation highlights the power of empathy, emotional communication, and forgiveness in maintaining strong, healthy relationships. Whether you're married, dating, or simply want to love others well, this episode offers powerful tools to deepen your relational bonds. Like what you hear? Be sure to follow I Wish You Could Hear This on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

Praying through Weaknesses as a Couple - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - March 19

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Updated Crosswalk Couples Devotional Header

Praying through Weaknesses as a Couple
By Lynette Kittle

Pray continually, - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Even though I write articles and devotionals encouraging husbands and wives to entrust spiritual growth of their spouse to God, looking to Him to transform and change their hearts, at times I still find myself trying to speed up the process with my own husband.

Such as this morning during our prayer time together when I asked God to free my husband from impatience and irritation. Afterward, he mentioned how he really didn’t appreciate my praying for him in this way. So of course, I responded with, “Why not? Did my prayer irritate you?”

I explained to my hubby how I also ask God to fill him with His joy, peace, love, and more, and invited him to pray for God to free me of things, too. But as a seasoned husband, he gave me a look like suggesting I take the plank out of my own eye.

As Scripture explains, it’s easier for me to see a speck in his eye than it is for me to see a plank in my own eye (Matthew 7:5). If I’m seeing things in him that maybe he’s not aware of, then his openness in letting me know where I could use God’s freedom could be of tremendous help in my dealing with issues in my own life.

What might happen in our marriages, if instead of avoiding bringing up issues because we fear offending our spouse or being offended by what our husband or wife points out, if we give each other the freedom to openly address our weaknesses? How might marriages be strengthened?

James 5:16 urges us to confess our sins one to another and pray for each other. Most likely I’m probably missing faults in my life that need my confessing, issues which are very apparent to my spouse, yet ones I may be unaware of or overlooking in myself.

How much more could the devil’s schemes to rip apart marriages be thwarted, by couples being open to receiving godly correction through their spouse?

My praying for my husband in this way began because he didn’t seem to hear me when I just asked him to have kinder responses like Scripture encourages, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Colossians 3:19).

Although I was praying privately about it, too, once I prayed openly with him about it, he did seem to really hear what I was saying.

1 Peter 3:7 urges, “Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

Likewise, God says He is a witness between my husband and myself (Malachi 2:14), because we did make our marriage vows to God, making Him the center of our relationship. So who better to bring up areas of weaknesses between us than to do so together before Him?


Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, Startmarriageright.com, growthtrac.com, and more. She has an M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as an associate producer for Soul Check TV.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/LordHenriVoton

Related Resource: The Five Languages of Apology, with Dr. Gary Chapman

In this insightful episode, Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn sit down with Dr. Gary Chapman, renowned author of The Five Love Languages and The Five Languages of Apology. Together, they explore how understanding both love and apology languages can radically improve relationships. Dr. Chapman unpacks the five core ways people express and receive love—and explains how offering sincere, well-matched apologies can be just as vital to healing and connection. The conversation highlights the power of empathy, emotional communication, and forgiveness in maintaining strong, healthy relationships. Whether you're married, dating, or simply want to love others well, this episode offers powerful tools to deepen your relational bonds. Like what you hear? Be sure to follow I Wish You Could Hear This on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide