"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife... that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous" ( I Pet 3:7,8)Many couples do not realize why their prayers sometimes go unanswered. From this text we learn that if the couple are not of one mind or if they do not dwell together in unity and harmony, their prayers will be hindered. Quite often, couples who fight, quarrel and argue, do not have family prayers because their spirits are not ready to pray together. You may say, "I pray alone," but that prayer may not go to God's presence.
How can the couple be of one mind? The above text says, "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another." Yes, that is the secret. The husband and wife can never be united if they think the other must be perfect in character. The wife may find various failures and mistakes in the husband's life and the husband may find mistakes in the wife. So they can have one mind only when they have compassion for each other. What is compassion? Compassion is a sympathetic feeling towards someone for his or her weak points, troubles, failures or drawbacks.. Instead of having sympathy, if you have a critical attitude towards the other's failures, you can never be of one mind and, as long as you are not of one mind your prayers are hindered.
This principle is applicable not only to married couples, but also to others. Dear reader, perhaps some of your prayers are not answered because you are not of one mind with others. Unless we are united with others, whether in the gospel work, in family life or in any other thing, and look at others with compassion rather than with a critical spirit, we cannot see God answering our prayers.
"Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together, Lord,
With cords that cannot be broken;
Bind us together, Lord,
bind us together, Lord,
Bind us together with love."
Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"
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