We must quit fearing that our marital covenant will not be restored when God promises that He will provide a way that is filled with hope … just as it says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” However, God does not wave a wand over broken marriages to restore them. Each one of us must faithfully work on the areas of our lives that are broken and in need of change. God must restore us first, by revealing our own sins, which have consequently, affected our marriages in the most damaging ways.

God asks us to step in faith and get rid of the sins in our lives, because if we know that sin is there, and do nothing about it, He will not hear us (Ps. 66:18) and our prayers will be hindered. When we ask and do not receive, we need to examine ourselves and question why our prayers are being hindered. Are we asking selfishly? Have we turned away from God, harbored bitterness in our hearts, or ignored sin in our own lives?

God wants us to have confidence in His ability and willingness to provide what is necessary for us to attain to godliness, by overcoming our sins. He also wants us to believe that He can and will do whatever He promises. When we doubt, we may ask expecting rejection, and we may even ask almost hoping for rejection and hinder our prayers. It says in James 1:5-7 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” This means that our prayers cannot not be separated from our faith if we want them answered! If we are to ask God, we must ask with expectant hope, believing in our hearts that God can and will give what we desire, provided that what we desire is what will bring glory to Him. We are to align our faith with our prayers, boldly asking with confident expectancy for God to restore our marriage.

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