Sometimes the hardest part of a troubled marriage is sitting across from someone you love and wondering how to begin again. Start with the prayer that comes closest to what you are carrying today, whether that is anger, grief, or a longing to be heard.
When a couple fails to agree on the fundamentals of marriage, it can threaten its stability.
A deeply troubled marriage is not anyone’s dream when they say, “I do.”
God will help you when you are going through a tough time in marriage.
Tiffany Fletcher says that if you devote your life to God and dedicate your marriage to him, the battle becomes God’s battle and you become his soldier.
A soldier in God’s army means you fight for your marriage in prayer. In addition to this, you have a part to play in the restoration of your marriage.
Taking responsibility for your part in the conflict or dispute is a great starting point, says Terry Gaspard.
Prayers for a deeply troubled marriage.
1. Prayer for God to fight your Battle.
2 Chronicles 20:15 (KJV) “And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
Lord, thank you for your word which encourages me during the difficult times of my marriage.
I have been fighting this battle by myself, but I ask you to fight it for me. The battle was never mine, to begin with, but yours.
Destroy the enemy that is trying to destroy my marriage. Deliver my marriage from the hand of the enemy.
I surrender my marriage to you today and give you the chance to make right what went wrong.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
2. Prayer for Restoration of Love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV) “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
Lord, you are the author of love. You are love and you have shown us how to love. Restore the love that my spouse and I have lost.
May we meditate on your word that shows us how to love each other.
Fill our hearts with your love. Where our love for each other has grown cold, rekindle the flame of romance.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
3. Prayer for love and forgiveness.
1 Peter 4:8 (KJV) “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
Lord, thank you for helping my spouse and I with the issues we have faced in our marriage up to this point.
Help my spouse and I bear with each other and forgive each other’s offenses.
Give us the grace not to hold grudges toward each other.
May our love for each other help us be kind and considerate when communicating.
Teach us to see each other the way you see us so that we can embrace your love in our marriage.
Help us forgive all the offenses of the past.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
4. Prayer for selflessness in Marriage.
Philippians 2:3 (KJV) “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Lord, thank you for the gift of my spouse and the beautiful marriage we have shared.
You have watched over our marriage all these years and have seen us through many difficult moments.
Show my spouse and I how to be selfless in our marriage and consider the other person before ourselves.
Help us conduct our marriage with humility and give no room to pride.
I will consider my spouse’s opinion before making any decision. May we remain humble before you always.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
5. Prayer for setting your mind on the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 (KJV) “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”
Lord, I bless your name and give you glory because you are a loving Father and a gracious God.
You gave us your Spirit to help us when we struggle to obey your word.
Help my spouse and I live according to what your Spirit desires and not our flesh.
May our minds focus on what you desire for us and not what we desire ourselves.
You see the big picture of our marriage and we don’t always see things like you do. May we always desire what your Spirit desires.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
6. Prayer to give God room in your Mind.
Romans 8:6 (KJV) “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Lord, thank you for giving me a sound mind and filling it with your wisdom.
Help me keep my mind focused on godly things and pure thoughts about my marriage.
Show me how to make room for you in my mind so that I will hear you speak to me.
Help me do away with fleshly and carnal thoughts that don’t give life to my marriage. I will declare each day that I have the mind of Christ.
Renew my mind with your word so that I will know your perfect and pleasing will for my marriage.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
7. Prayer for wisdom and peace.
Proverbs 13:10 (KJV) “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.”
Lord, I praise you for your word that is full of wisdom and solutions for my marriage.
Keep my spouse and I from the strife that is threatening to destroy us.
Help us to keep calm and wait till our tempers cool before dealing with any troubling issue.
Give us the wisdom to handle every situation we are dealing with at the moment.
Fill our hearts with your peace that surpasses all understanding and help us to have the humility that Christ had.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
8. Prayer to avoid quarrels.
Proverbs 20:3 (KJV) “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.”
Lord, you are a God of peace and you have filled my heart with peace.
My spouse and I are having frequent quarrels that drain both our energy and leave us feeling angry.
Help us stop quarreling and instead state our desires or complaints in a loving and calm manner.
Show us the way of peace and help us walk in it daily. Give us a lasting solution for the strife that has become unbearable.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
9. Prayer against anger.
James 1:20 (KJV) “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
Lord, thank you for making me righteous through Christ. I have been feeling very angry toward my spouse and have spoken to him/her in a harsh manner.
Deliver me from all the anger I feel toward my spouse for the hurtful things he/she has done to me.
Help me not to be easily provoked to anger but to remain calm and polite always. Forgive me for my anger and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related: Prayers for Unhappy Marriage: 15 Astonishing.
10. Prayer against bitterness, malice, and bad behavior toward your Spouse.
Ephesians 4:31 (KJV) “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”
Lord, I need your help to be a better spouse and partner in my marriage.
I have treated my spouse with malice and my behavior toward him/her has been bad and uncalled for.
Show me the right way to treat my spouse especially in this period when our marriage is deeply troubled.
Help us end the cycle of bitterness, rage, brawling, slander, and malice.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
11. Prayer for Patience.
Proverbs 19:11 (KJV) “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.”
Lord, your divine wisdom greatly surpasses my human wisdom. Help me to deal with the issues in my marriage with wisdom and patience.
May your fruit of patience manifest in my heart every day. Remind me each day that part of loving my spouse is being patient with him/her.
Grant me the grace to overlook offenses in my spouse and love him/her without condemnation.
Strengthen my inner being so that I can have the patience to wait on you.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
12. Prayer to not be easily provoked in your Spirit.
Ecclesiastes 7:9 (KJV) “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”
Lord, thank you for working in my heart to produce a harvest of righteousness.
There are many things in my deeply troubled marriage that are making me angry.
My spouse provokes me each day and I find it hard to keep my cool.
Help me to not be easily provoked in my spirit but to give myself time before responding to volatile issues.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
13. Prayer against Revenge.
Romans 12:19 (KJV) “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Lord, you are a God filled with mighty power and you have promised to restore everything I have lost.
Keep me from taking revenge against my spouse for hurting and betraying me.
Today I leave him/her in your hands and choose to let go of the offenses he/she has committed against me. Help me repay evil with good.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
14. Prayer to honor my Spouse.
1 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;”
Lord, thank you for the gift of my spouse. I have not honored my spouse especially during this time that we are experiencing a troubled marriage.
Help me to show honor to him/her despite our differences. I did promise to honor him/her on our wedding day.
Help me keep this promise every day. Grant me the grace to be considerate with my spouse at all times.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Also Related:Midnight Prayers for Marriage: 15 Astonishing.
15. Prayer for God’s Salvation.
Psalm 69:1 (KJV) “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.”
Lord, you are my savior and helper in my time of need. Save me from the troubles that have afflicted my marriage.
I am drowning in sorrow each day and I don’t know what to do.
Revive my heart and give me hope for better days ahead. You are my only hope and my eyes are always on you.
Help me overcome the troubles I am experiencing in my marriage and give me a reason to smile once again.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Conclusion.
The above prayers will help you invoke God’s intervention in your deeply troubled marriage.
Don’t fall for the temptation to quit on your spouse because of the difficulties you are facing.
According to an article on the NewSpring Church blog, if you’ll choose to fight for your marriage, God will fight with you.
That you need to focus on yourself and what needs to change in you before you point out what needs to change in your spouse.
As you pray, ask God to show you one step you can take today. That may be offering a specific apology, listening without interrupting, or reaching out to someone trustworthy for help. Rebuilding trust takes time and the willing participation of both spouses.
Books for a Deeply Troubled Marriage.
- Marriage on the Rock by Jimmy Evans.
- Healing Your Marriage When Trust is Broken by Cindy Beall.
- The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John M. Gottman, Ph.D., and Nan Silver.
- Loving Your Spouse When You Feel Like Walking Away by Gary Chapman.
For further prayer when your marriage is facing challenges, see 15 Awesome Prayers for Marriage Breakthrough.
About the Author
Ordained Christian Minister Since 1988
Pastor David Small has served in Christian ministry for 38 years, preaching, teaching, and encouraging believers to grow in their relationship with God. His experience includes pastoral leadership, evangelism, biblical teaching, and helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges through faith and prayer.