There is a 50% chance your marriage will end in divorce.[1] At least that’s what the statistics seem to suggest, in a culture where nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. Those aren’t very good odds. Flip a coin. Heads, you stay married; tales, you get divorced.
What if I told you that there is a secret 5-minute practice to knock that 50% chance of getting divorced down to less than 1%?[2] Sound too good to be true? Well, it gets even better. What if I told you this secret not only nearly divorce-proofs your marriage, but can simultaneously increase marital satisfaction and intimacy?[3]
The secret is prayer. Less than 1% of couples who pray together regularly end up getting a divorce. I’m not saying praying together will magically solve all your marriage problems. But, there is biblical precedent and statistical evidence that praying together with your spouse will lead to rich rewards and a lifelong marriage. And that makes sense. H.B. Charles Jr. says that “an attitude of self-sufficiency automatically disqualifies you from divine enablement.” If God is the only one who has the power to sustain your marriage, why would you not seek divine enablement and regularly talk to God about your spouse and with your spouse?
Unfortunately, apparently only about 11% of Christian couples actually pray together.[4] Why would that be? I believe there are probably many reasons. But, one reason could be that Christian married couples simply don’t know how to pray together. And, because they don’t know how, it feels awkward when they try praying together. And no one wants to feel awkward or embarrassed with their spouse. So, it’s easier to avoid praying altogether rather than enduring another awkward prayer session.
Thankfully, one of my spiritual heroes, Joel Beeke, just released a free prayer guide for couples called Pray Together Tonight. It’s a simple 5-minute prayer pattern for couples. No experience required. Come before the throne of God tonight, and every night, side-by-side with your spouse. Heed the warning of Puritan Thomas Brooks that “a family without prayer is like a house without a roof, open and exposed to all the storms of heaven.”
The Silver Bullet for a Golden Marriage