What if the prayer that could change your marriage isn't "Lord, help my spouse change," but "Lord, make me more like You"?
We pray for better communication, less conflict, more connection, and greater understanding in marriage. And those are all good things to pray for!
But how often do we ask God to change our hearts in the process?
In this episode of Expedition Marriage, we're exploring the difference between two powerful kinds of prayers: "Help me" and "Make me."
One invites God's help in our circumstances. The other invites His transforming work in our lives.
And here's the important part: We need both.
We're talking about:
- Why asking God for help is biblical and necessary
- How self-reliance can sneak into our prayer lives
- The difference between wanting relief and wanting transformation
- What it means to pray bold, Scripture-based prayers
- How to stop focusing only on your spouse's shortcomings
- Why spiritual growth can change the dynamics of your marriage
- How to pray for your spouse with the right heart
- Why surrender, patience, and humility matter in marriage
We're also sharing some honest reflections from our own lives and exploring what Scripture says about becoming more like Christ.
Because the goal isn't simply to have an easier marriage.
It's to become two people who increasingly reflect Jesus in the way they love one another.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Help Me and Make Me — Prayers for Your Marriage
Get our Scripture-based, seven-day prayer guide, complete with practical prayers and couples discussion questions.
https://expeditionmarriage.org/podcast/ep-200-help-me-or-make-me-a-prayer-that-could-change-your-marriage
00:00 Marriage Needs Transformation
00:37 Make Me vs Help Me
02:12 Heart Motives in Prayer
04:50 Self Reliance and Control
08:29 Marriage Prayers and Gods Will
13:48 Help Me Dependence vs Make Me Surrender
16:13 Bold Prayers and Sanctification
19:42 Waiting and Heart Posture
21:11 Not Magic Words
22:12 Real Prayer Heart
22:47 Better Spouse Prayers
24:10 Praying For Spouse
25:55 Check Your Because
26:35 Connection And Intentionality
28:10 Growth Changes Dynamics
33:23 Scripture And Transformation
36:15 Mission Field Marriage
40:46 Relief Versus Surrender
42:30 Closing Prayer And Download
