Ruth Graham's Marital Advice

Ruth Bell Graham advised wives to "tell your mate the positive, and tell God the negative."  No man has ever crawled out from under his wife's criticism to become a better man (Michael Pearl). Take your concerns to God. Faithfully lift up your husband in prayer every day, and you will likely notice a transformation not only in him, but in yourself, as well. 

It is so easy to focus upon the negative in others. Many times when I hear of marriage troubles, I advise the women to pray a lot. Often I will get the response that we need to do a lot more than pray.  We need to get our husbands in counseling, bring up their problems to them often, have them visit a pastor, etc.

They don't understand the power of prayer. God can do the impossible. He does a much better job than we can do.  We can't change our husbands, only God can change people. We can try but in the process, we usually will damage our marriage. Men respond much better to forgiveness and love rather than anger and nagging. Come to think of it, so do we.

Believe in the power of God and the power of prayer. Pray daily for your husband and the things he struggles with. Believe God and His promises. Don't depend on your ability to change your husband. Depend upon God. Have faith.

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:6