A man recently asked me about a troubling verse. “My wife says my prayers are hindered because I don’t respect her enough.” He was referring to this verse:
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)
What does it mean to hinder your prayers? Here is the wrong answer: “God doesn’t listen to jerks.”
The good news is that God does hear the honest prayers of jerks and crooks and thieves and sinners (see Luke 18:14). If you see yourself as a bad husband or a bad wife, rest assured your heavenly Father hears you when you call to him. Our sin does not hinder our prayers.
How do we hinder our prayers?
When I was asked that question, I was stumped. It wasn’t a question I had thought about, but I probably should have since I am a husband.
What can I do to my wife that…
