Day 17
Pray for Unselfishness
Dear Woman,
Marriage is place where two selfish people are bound together to become unselfish. Without unselfishness it’s impossible to make the marriage work.
If one of them is still selfish that person is living on the sacrifices of the other and is drinking all the happiness from the other person for own selfish motives. Such selfish people will exhibit behavior such as taking spouses feelings very light, belittling spouses problems and always talk about one or two good things they did and claim that they are treating the other person well. When confronted a selfish spouse will say “Aren’t these enough for you? What more should I do?”, but the truth is that the spouse who is suffering is not asking for more but asking for the right actions that will quench the expectations or solve some problems. What do we say when we are confronted? Do we say, “I’ll listen carefully to understand my spouse’s needs better. I may be missing something. I’ll do it even if it means I need to work hard”. One thing is sure the time and efforts that we are saving being selfish is definitely not better than building the relationship using unselfishness.
There are two important things about being unselfish,
– to genuinely become unselfish and
– not to become a doormat
Let’s pray!
For You
- Lord! I pray that I consider my husband’s expectations as a priority without exhausting me. May I understand his expectations with love and patience without any existing assumptions I have. May I set feasible ‘love goals’ to please my husband and take it one step at a time.
(Philippians 2:3, II Corinthians 8:5) - Lord! I pray that I will give my time, effort and patience cheerfully. May I do everything without grumbling or complaining. Lord! I understand that I nullify all my efforts when I grumble.
(2 Corinthians 9:6,7, Philippians 2:14,15) - Lord! Teach me to come to you for wisdom and guidance when my unselfishness is not recognized. May I not give up in doing good. Lord! I take your comfort and refreshment that you bring upon me as I continue to refresh my husband.
(Proverbs 11:25, Galatians 6:9) - Lord! Comfort me and heal me when I hear complaints even when I had sacrificed so much for the family. May I trust in you and not consider the worldly recognitions. Help me to take valid complaints and ignore the false accusations.
(Proverbs 12:15,16) - Lord! Teach me to do my best and not to exhaust me when I’ve been put under way too much pressure that comes from very high expectations and lack of sharing the responsibilities. May I discern the difference between high expectations and abuse. Lord! when my unselfish nature invites victimization help me to politely speak up about it!
(Psalm 41:2,Psalm 140:4)
For your Husband
- Lord! I pray that my husband understands the freedom and power of unselfishness and reflect the nature of Christ in sacrificing His own life
for the Church. I pray that he understands the Biblical standards and expectation from a husband in terms of marriage.
(2 Corinthians 8:5, Ephesians 5:25) - Lord! I pray that my husband overcomes the stigma of male chauvinism by being bold and courageous. Strengthen him to take a stand against the
against the injustice towards women and cultural bias in favor of men. I pray that he becomes courageous and wise in this and does advocacy for
me when I deserve justice.
(Psalm 82:3) - Lord! I pray that my husband understands his role as a servant leader being the head of the family. I pray that he sets an example in being unselfish in humbling himself and serving others without grumbling or complaining.
(Colossians 1:18, Matthew 20:28) - Lord! I pray that he stops doing selfish acts for the sake of satisfying his ego. I pray that my husband opens his eyes to see that ‘EGO’ is a fake crown that will neither be recognized nor rewarded and that crown is just a burden that pulls a man from doing his best for God. May he find his identity and crown from what you say about him and not from ego.
(Proverbs 15:25, Philippians 2:3) - Lord! Guide and guard my husband in doing what is best for the family in achieving the common good and not to do things with selfish motives such as,
to make him look like he spends a lot for the family or to make him look like he is the only person who works hard for the family or to impress extended family members or to prove that he is the boss in the family or to avoid the nagging and accusations of the extended family.
(Philippians 2:3, Luke 6:35)
Amen!
Today’s Promise:
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Today’s Command:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
