How to Pray for Your Relationship When You Don’t Have Words
Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi
Do you sometimes feel like you don’t have any words when you try to pray?
“God, I want to talk to You about my relationship, but praying feels so hard right now. I don’t know how to fix this.”
“I have no idea how to talk to You about what I need.”
“I want You to be a part of my relationship, but I don’t know how to ask. Or what I need to do.”
“I am so worried. What if everything falls apart? How am I supposed to pray when I feel this anxious?”
When it is difficult to pray, one thing you can do is speak Scripture back to the Lord—but in your own words. Turn it into declarations that are simple statements of truth about Him or about yourself.
Here’s how this can work.
Let’s say you’re reading Hebrews 4:16:
Let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need. (NASB)
You could speak this verse back to the Lord in a number of ways, and you could “apply” it to any relationship concern weighing on your heart.
“Father, You love me so much that You want me to come to You when I’m worried or stressed about my relationship.”
“God, I’m in trouble! I don’t know what to do, but You actually want me to run to You for help.”
“Your first response to me is mercy. Thank You that when I mess up, I can come to You, and You won’t drive me away or just tell me to do better next time. You actually want to help me.”
“Thank You for Your grace and how You help me when I am confused and hurting. You always give me what I need.”
Some of us have a tendency to make prayer too hard. “It needs to look a certain way, or it doesn’t count!”
But He is our Father, and we are His kids. It is all right if we use simple ideas and childlike words with Him.
How do you want to pray for your relationship this week?
What does your relationship need?
Does it need peace? He is the God of peace. His Word talks about peace several times, and you can use those verses to help you pray for your relationship.
Does your relationship need rest? Maybe you’re so worried about the future that you can’t think straight. You just feel overwhelmed and miserable. His Word talks about rest. He understands rest and how much our hearts need it.
Does your relationship need hope? The Bible is clear that your heart is precious to your heavenly Father. He treasures your heart, and He is so very soft toward it.
Here are a few other ways you can pray for your relationship when you don’t have words of your own.
In YOUR relationship…He is joy.
You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. (Ps. 4:7 NLT)
“Father, You are the joy of my heart. This is true even when I can’t feel it.”
“You have good plans for me, and I can trust You to take care of me and my relationship. I will have greater joy than what seems possible.”
“Thank You for showing me what You want to be in my relationship.”
In YOUR relationship…He is good.
You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes. (Ps. 119:68 ESV)
“Father, everything You touch becomes beautiful, including my relationship.”
“You are not doing something bad or distasteful with me, but You are doing something good and worth it.”
“Thank You for showing me Your goodness in my relationship.”
In YOUR relationship…He is patient.
The fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22–23 AMP)
“Father, everything You do is patient.”
“When You move in my life, it is with patience, not exasperation or annoyance.”
“My relationship is filled with Your patience.”
“Thank You for revealing Your patient heart to me in my relationship.”
In YOUR relationship…He is gentle.
When the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22–23 TLB)
“Father, everything You do is gentle.”
“Your voice is gentle whenever You speak to me about my relationship.”
“You are not dealing harshly with me—or with my partner—but You are treating us in a way that restores our hope.”
“Thank You for showing me Your gentleness in my relationship.”
Your Father & your heart
Precious child of God, you are so loved! Take a deep breath, let go of your worries and stress, and give your heart a moment to realize it is the Father’s treasure. When your heart speaks to Him, it makes Him happy, even when the words are messy or simple.
Does your heart need to remember who God is? Check out these other devotions:
Your heavenly Father loves you more than you realize! For more about His amazing, unending love, check out Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.