Releasing Unhealthy Attachment with Parents
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I have not fully left my parents to be joined to my spouse. I now renounce any unhealthy attachment I have with either of my parents. I release them to you, Father, and I ask you to give them the grace to release me. I declare that my primary allegiance is to you and to my spouse. I pray this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Releasing Unhealthy Attachment with Children
Heavenly Father, I recognize that I have formed unhealthy attachments with my children, and that this is unhealthy for their growth and development and for my relationship with my spouse. I ask you for the grace to release those unhealthy attachments now, and to form a healthy bond with my spouse, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Renouncing Unholy Soul Ties
Father, I ask your forgiveness for my unholy relationship with________(name) in the past or present. (If you don’t know a person’s name, then offer the person without a name.) I renounce any unholy bond—mentally, emotionally, physically, sexually, or spiritually—that I formed with that person. I now formally break and cut these ties and offer this person to you. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer to Be a Better Husband
Lord, I admit that I am inadequate to love my wife without your help. I ask for your grace to be perfected in my weakness, so I can give myself freely, fully, faithfully, and fruitfully to my wife, and nourish and cherish her as the gift she is to me. Lord, help me to be receptive to your covenant with me, so I can remember my sacred covenant vows to my wife. Thank you for hearing my prayers. Amen.
Prayer to Be a Better Wife
Lord, I admit that when I close my heart in self-protection and seek false outward forms of attractiveness, I lose my true inner beauty and my ability to be who you called me to be. I ask for your grace to be restored in my true nature and beauty, be receptive to my husband, and nurture our communion with tenderness and trust. Help me to always live out my calling to foster communion in our marriage. Assist me to love my husband freely, fully, faithfully, and fruitfully. Thank you for hearing my prayers. Amen.
Prayer of Blessing of Spouse
Heavenly Father, you are the source of all goodness and blessing. Please pour out your love and blessing on my (husband/wife) today and fill (him/her) with a knowledge of your love and (his/her) own goodness. I ask for a special blessing in this area of my (husband’s/ wife’s) specific need today (name specific need_________). Thank you for hearing my prayer.
Prayer for Spiritual Unity as a Couple
Heavenly Father, help us become one in Christ, through the power of your Holy Spirit. May your kingdom come, and may your will be done in every area of our marriage, as it is in heaven.
Prayer for Teamwork
Heavenly Father, I surrender my will to you. Help me submit myself to you and to my spouse out of reverence for Christ. Help me to look out for my (husband’s/wife’s) interest as well as my own. Reveal your will to us. Enable us to reach an enthusiastic agreement, with you and with each other. I ask this in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
Prayer before Lovemaking
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of my (husband/wife). Please bless and protect each of us body, soul, and spirit so we can give ourselves freely, fully, faithfully, and fruitfully to each other. I ask you to send your Holy Spirit so we can love each other deeply and from a pure heart, with joy, peace, passion, gentleness, generosity, and self-control.
Prayer in Midst of Conflict
Heavenly Father, thank you for making us different—including how we see things differently. Please help us reverence and understand each other in our differences and maintain a soft and tender heart even when we are in the midst of conflict.
Prayer for Forgiveness
Merciful Father, I ask you to forgive me for the ways I have offended you and my spouse. Please give me the grace to forgive my (husband/ wife) as you have forgiven me.
Prayer for Releasing Fearful Judgments
Merciful Father, help me let go of my fearful judgments and see my (husband/wife) as you see (him/her), in wholeness and with love and truth. In the holy name of Jesus, I now renounce this fearful judgment (state the judgment (___________________) toward my (husband/wife) and forgive him/her for hurting me. Holy Spirit, I ask you to show me where my judgments are rooted in my fears and insecurity (spend time listening in prayer).
Prayer for Restoring Trust
Merciful Father, I realize that every time I hurt my (husband/wife) I am wounding Christ. I ask for the grace of humility so I can see my own faults, take full responsibility for my actions, humbly apologize, and remedy the situation, so that our peace and trust can be restored.
Prayer for Generational Blessing
Good and Gracious Father, you promise to bless those who love you for a thousand generations. I ask now for the ability to live in communion with you, in every area of my life, and most especially in our marriage. I ask you to bless our love so that the generations to follow will grow up in a legacy of faith, hope, and love. Thank you for your goodness toward us. Amen.
This excerpt from Be Devoted: Restoring Friendship, Passion, and Communion in Your Marriage is reprinted with permission of Ave Maria Press.
Bob Schuchts is the bestselling author of Be Healed, Be Transformed, Be Devoted, Be Restored, and Do You Want to Be Healed? He is the founder of the John Paul II Healing Center in Tallahassee, Florida, and cohost of the Restore the Glory podcast with Jake Khym.
