A prayer for my husband who doesn't believe
Father, You know my husband better than I do. You made him, and You love him more than I ever could. Draw him to Yourself. Soften what is hard in him, and open his eyes to see You. Put people in his life who live their faith with kindness. When I am tired or lonely in this, hold me up. Let my life be gentle and true, and let him see some of Your kindness in it. His heart is in Your hands, not mine, and I trust You with him. I'll keep asking. In Jesus' name, amen.
Verses for a husband who doesn't believe
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
In the King James Version, conversation means your way of life, not your words. This passage is about a quiet, faithful example. It is not a call to accept harm.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
When your husband feels distant
Sometimes he believes, but he has gone quiet. He comes home, eats, scrolls and goes to bed, and you feel like roommates. Distance is not always about faith. Often it is tiredness, worry or hurt that hasn't been said out loud. Pray for what you can't see, and if it feels safe, make one small, warm move toward him. You are not the cause of his silence, and you can't fix it alone.
If there is abuse in your home, or you are afraid of him, this is not about praying harder, and it is not your fault. Please reach out for help. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. In an emergency, call 911.
A prayer for a distant husband
Lord, my husband feels far away from me, and maybe from You too. You know what he is carrying that he hasn't told me. Lift it off him. Give him rest. Turn his heart toward home, and turn mine toward him, and keep my heart soft toward him. Give me wisdom about what to say and when to wait. In Jesus' name, amen.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
How to keep praying when nothing seems to change
- Pray for one thing at a time: his heart, his peace, his friendships, his work.
- Pray for yourself too: patience, a soft heart and people to lean on.
- Keep going to church and keep your own walk with God, even if you go alone.
- Be gentle with yourself. A quiet season is not proof that you have failed.
You don't have to carry this alone. A pastor or a Christian counselor can walk with you, pray with you and help you think it through.
Questions women ask
How do I pray for my unbelieving husband?
Pray for God to draw him, to soften his heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and to bring kind believers into his life. Then pray for yourself, that your daily life would show your faith gently, as 1 Peter 3:1-2 describes.
What does 1 Peter 3:1-2 mean for a wife with an unbelieving husband?
It says a husband who does not obey the word may be won without the word by watching his wife's life. In the King James Version, conversation means conduct. It is about a faithful example, not about putting up with abuse.
What should I pray when my husband feels distant?
Ask God to lift whatever he is carrying, to give him rest and to turn both your hearts back toward each other. If it feels safe, make one small kind move toward him. If there is abuse or fear, call 1-800-799-7233. That is not about praying harder.
Should I keep pushing my husband to go to church?
Many wives find that pressure pushes a husband further away. Invite him gently now and then, keep going yourself and keep praying. His heart is God's work, not yours to force. A pastor or Christian counselor can help you find a way forward.