A Prayer for Pastors' Wives

I am devoting much of my prayer time today to wives of pastors. Those I've met very recently as well as those I've known for many years. Those who with their husbands have very large and/or very successful ministries as well as those whose ministries are struggling. Those who are happy and satisfied in their role as well as those who are feeling defeated, disillusioned and unqualified. And all of those somewhere in between. The pastor's wife is such a challenging and such an important role to fill, and I'm praying with all of my heart for refreshment and joy and fulfillment within this role.

***Disclaimer: I just wanted to post a plea that no one read too much into this as it relates directly to me. I am a pastor's wife, yes. But all of these prayers are not necessarily indicative of my current frame of mind toward myself. My church and husband are imperfect for sure, but they love me well, and I am in no way disgruntled in my role. If anything, I find myself sometimes feeling guilty for how much I adore the life God has given me here when others seem to suffer so much. I still covet your prayers since loving my role certainly doesn't mean it's always easy, but I just wanted to make sure no one reads this as though I'm on the verge of meltdown. By the grace of God, I'm not. Instead, please join me in praying for those who may very well be nearing that point.

For the Pastor's Wife. . .

. . . I pray for authentic, loving, non-judgmental, supportive friendships

. . . I pray for grace beyond understanding when she must share her husband with those who are unkind to him

. . . I pray for freedom from guilt when she is unable to do ALL that is expected of her from dozens and dozens (or maybe even hundreds or thousands) of people

. . . I pray for happy surprises and unexpected blessings on a regular basis

. . . I pray for strength when her husband walks away again to care for someone other than her

. . . I pray for understanding when her husband speaks gently and patiently to those he counsels but becomes frustrated with her for needing similar counsel

. . . I pray for creativity and energy in loving her husband well in order to minimize his stress and make him happy

. . . I pray for tender moments with her Savior that remind her that her ministry is for His sake

. . . I pray that she will represent Christ well even when she just doesn't feel like doing so

. . . I pray against doubt when her ministry is difficult and Satan tries to convince her this means she is making a mistake (as though God never calls his people into difficult situations)

. . . I pray for supernatural amounts of energy at times when she needs it most but has nothing within her human strength to draw from

. . . I pray for a husband who understands that he shouldn't sacrifice his family on the altar of ministry

. . . I pray for Scripture to come alive inside her heart during moments of temptation

. . . I pray against bitterness and resentment

. . . I pray against laziness and selfishness

. . . I pray that the sanctification she recognizes in her own heart will bring incredible encouragement

. . . I pray for rest

. . . I pray for a faith that is far greater than her limited human imagination

. . . I pray for forgiveness--that she will ask for it willingly, give it freely, and receive it graciously

. . . I pray that she will get to witness miracles and recognize them as such

. . . I pray that she will always believe herself beautiful no matter what her physical condition because she is created in the image of God

. . . I pray for a common primary vision with her husband so that they are consistently working toward the same goal

. . . I pray against gossip, whether it be from her lips or against her or her husband

. . . I pray that her husband will treasure Christ and ONLY Christ more greatly than her so that he can treasure her well

. . . I pray for relationships that sharpen and support simultaneously

. . . I pray for fun

. . . I pray for biblically grounded mentors and Christ-centered, wise counsel

. . . I pray for quality time with her husband and children when quantity isn't possible

. . . I pray that every day will bring a deeper understanding of God's unfathomable, unconditional, unchanging love for her, and that she will not just *know* about it but truly *believe* it

. . . I pray that the approval she has in Christ will be ENOUGH when her work tends to go unnoticed or unappreciated by those around her

. . . I pray for abundant happy days, but I pray for all-surpassing joy even on the not so happy days

. . . I pray that she will be respected but not elevated

. . . I pray that she will be proud of her husband but not idolize him

. . . I pray that Hebrews 1:3-4 will overflow her heart with hope

. . . I pray for freedom in Christ

. . . I pray against guilty feelings when she does get to relax from time to time

. . . I pray that her memory will trap moments of love and laughter like a vice grip and release moments of worry and distress like water through a sieve

. . . I pray that the ultimate cry of her heart will always be to honor Christ and that she will remain on the path to a long obedience in that direction even though she will fail and take a few steps backward at times

. . . I pray for rich community and fellowship among solid believers firmly rooted in Christ

. . . I pray that the words Abba Father will mean more to her heart than to her head

. . . I pray that she will always know that Jesus Christ is under her as her foundation, in front of her as her shepherd, and within her as her righteousness

. . . I pray that she will be eternally fascinated and astonished by the Gospel and that it will transform EVERY aspect of her life

Please pray this with me today (or a better version of your own) for all of the pastors' wives in your life. Also, if anyone has other prayer requests, feel free to leave them here in the comments. As always, comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.