Ways to Pray for a Military Spouse

Whether you’re a military spouse or not, you probably know at least one person who’s married to the military. Even when you are a spouse, it’s hard to know what you can do to help spouses or make their lives better. They probably won’t ask for help, unless they know you extremely well, and even then, they’ll probably hesitate. And for every spouse, military life is a little bit different, depending on her personality, her husband’s job and branch, and where she is in life, so it becomes even harder to reach out and support her.

But there is one thing you can always do for her: pray. And when you pray for a military spouse, here are a few areas where her heart probably needs to be lifted up to her Maker.

Pray that she remembers that God is sovereign.

When deployments wear her down, assignments aren’t what she expected, and tragedy strikes close to home, she feels acute discouragement about this lifestyle, but God is in all of her circumstances. Ask Him to help her feel His hand leading her down this path.

Pray that she remembers to let go of control.

When the military controls so many elements of life, it’s tempting to try to regain control in other areas and especially frustrating when that isn’t possible. Pray that her first instinct is to relinquish the control she desires to God.

Pray that she is resilient.

True resilience lies in the uplifting strength of the Holy Spirit–pray that in her sometimes unpredictable lifestyle, God will lift her up on eagle’s wings so she might run the race He sets before her without growing weary (Isaiah 40:31).

Pray that her heart trusts God, even in the hard moments.

Trusting God through the uncertainty of her husband’s safety on the job and the uncertainty of future plans will give her rest and peace. Pray that through her trust, God casts out her fears and her worries, replacing them with His truth.

Pray for her joy.

You may never know how she struggles. You may never see her tears. But military life gets to everyone sometimes, so pray that God fills her with joy and gives her spirit the strength to fight for it.

Pray for her loneliness.

Leaving old friends to be the new person in town and weathering deployments and other trips can fill military life with solitude. Pray that she feels God’s closeness and comfort through it all and that He blesses her with sweet friendships wherever she goes.

Pray for her children.

Pray that they learn to love Jesus and that He gives them strength and understanding for the vast challenges they face. Pray that she has the strength and wisdom to raise them well, even when she’s on her own.

Pray for her marriage.

The reality of military life is that couples often spend a great deal of time apart, which can interfere with intimacy and communication on a number of levels. Pray that the core of their marriage would remain strong, their communication would remain clear, and that they grow closer through the challenges of their lifestyle.

Pray for her husband.

At the heart of a military spouse’s life is the husband she has chosen to follow. His job may be dangerous and it will almost certainly put a great deal of strain on him. Pray for his courage, safety, and heart as he faces life on the front lines.