Praying Wives - Chapter 2

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Is anyone out there?

I liked this chapter (His Work) because I know work/career is a huge identity issue for men.

Chapter 2 – His Work

1. Is your husband successful in his work? Does he need to find work, or work that is more suitable for him? Ask God to open up doors of opportunity for him to be successful in the work God created him to do.

2. Does your husband have a tendency toward laziness? Workaholism? Somewhere in between? How could his work habits improve? Ask God to remove any obstacles from your husband’s mind or emotions that cause him to be unbalanced in his work habits.

3. Is your husband a good provider? How could you better support his efforts to provide for his family? Ask God to bless the work of your husband’s hands so that his work will increase and he will be rewarded accordingly.

4. Read Ecclesiastes 3:13: That everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

Is your husband’s work fulfilling to him? Does he enjoy the good of his labor? Why or why not? Pray that God will help him find fulfillment in his work, whether that means doing something different than what he is doing now, or giving him a new sense of purpose about the work he already has.

5. Is your husband living up to his potential? Does he have gifts and talents that are not being used? Does he know what his gifts and talents are? Ask God to open doors for him to utilize the gifts God has placed in him.

6. Read Proverbs 22:29: Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Has your husband been unable to excel in his work? Has he been properly recognized and appreciated? Ask God to enable him to excel in his work and be recognized for it.

7. Does your husband work with a sense of purpose and fulfillment, or with feelings of frustration or aimlessness? How can you pray about this for him?

8. Does your husband get along well with his co-workers? Are his supervisors happy with what he does? Do they give him respect? Pray about his work relationships.

9. Does your husband have to work with a difficult or unpleasant person who could be depleting his strength and patience? Ask God to transform this relationship, or to change his perspective and enhance his patience.

10. Out loud, pray the prayer on page 53. Include specifics about your husband’s work.

Comments

[bellablu.livejournal.com]

I'm here, I think I got overwhelmed with the length of the questions last week, but I will go through them and this weeks questions and put up my comments in the next day or so. Plus work was crazy last week...

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was overwhelmed just typing out the questions for last week!! But it looks like there are about 10 questions per chapter from here on out...much more doable.

[bellablu.livejournal.com]

Ok, I can handle that! I'll play catchup through the week and post my thoughts on the appropriate entries.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

This was a really easy chapter for me to read. After floundering a lot through university, Lars has finally found a job he LOVES and is exceptionally good at. He's lazy by nature, but since his work is as much a hobby as a job, the laziness doesn't show, but still means that he doesn't risk becoming a workaholic either. I am so, so grateful to God for giving him this opportunity.

Because Lars' job is such a complete blessing from God (and believe me - I know it! rereading my LJ entries of September 2005 points that out rather forcefully to me), the questions basically read like a checklist. Yes, he's a good provider; yes, it's fulfilling to him; yes, he's living up to his potential; yes, he gets along well with his co-workers etc.

9. Does your husband have to work with a difficult or unpleasant person who could be depleting his strength and patience?
Yes, there is one person who's a pain to work with. I feel really sorry for her, because everybody thinks she's a pain, which I fear is aggravating the situation. She had a stern talking to recently and hasn't been as bad since, but Lars fears it's just a matter of time before she goes off again. I'll add her to my prayers, and pray that God will soften her heart and show her if this is really the right place for her, seeing as she seems so discontent with it.

10. Out loud, pray the prayer on page 53. Include specifics about your husband’s work.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. Evan floundered around for a long time too. He didn't officially decide to give up on college until we'd been married a year or two, but things have been SO much better since.