Husbands Who Heal
“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”
1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
God’s call to husbands goes beyond fulfilling a social role or function. It is a call to be a source of emotional, spiritual, and relational health within the marriage. Peter gives a firm instruction: husbands must honor, understand, and treat their wives properly so that their prayer life—and their relationship with God—is not affected. A healthy husband not only builds a stable marriage, he also has the potential to heal wounds in his wife and strengthen the home. The emotional and spiritual health of the husband directly impacts the atmosphere of the marriage.
1. A Husband Who Heals Honors His Wife
“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives.”
1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
To honor is not a suggestion—it’s a command. Honoring means to value, respect, admire, and deeply esteem. A husband who honors recognizes that his wife is not an object or an extension of himself, but a daughter of God, a co-heir of grace.
• She has her own will
• She has intelligence, wisdom, and valid opinions
• She has immeasurable worth in God’s eyes
Honor is demonstrated through uplifting words, thoughtful gestures, acts of service, quality time, and by including her voice in important decisions. A husband who honors elevates his wife’s dignity, gives her emotional security, and helps her flourish.
2. A Husband Who Heals Treats with Understanding
“Treat your wife with understanding as you live together.”
1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
Understanding is more than knowledge—it’s wisdom applied in daily interactions. It means observing, learning, being sensitive, and acting with empathy. Peter is not calling for her to be treated as “weak,” but as a more fragile vessel—something that deserves special care, tenderness, and thoughtfulness.
• Understanding that her emotional world is different, not inferior
• Protecting her heart, not just her body
• Providing emotional, spiritual, and affectionate support
• Being patient rather than reactive
A wise husband does not dominate—he walks alongside. He does not correct harshly but with love. He does not seek to be served, but to serve as Christ did.
3. A Husband Who Heals Has Unhindered Access to Prayer
“Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”
1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
Here is a serious warning: mistreating one’s wife can interrupt communion with God. A heart that does not honor or understand his wife is a heart that meets resistance in heaven. But a healthy husband, who treats his wife well, opens the doors to a powerful prayer life.
God values the wife so highly that He links the husband’s treatment of her to the effectiveness of his spiritual life. A husband’s prayers carry weight, influence, and authority when his heart is free from selfishness and full of sacrificial love.
“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together… Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”
1 Peter 3:7 (NLT)
Think About It:
- Are you honoring your wife with your words, attitudes, and daily actions?
- Are you treating her with understanding—considering her emotions, timing, and needs?
- Is there anything in how you treat her that might be hindering your communion with God?