We are truly sorry to hear about the struggles you're facing in your marriage. We will stand with you in prayer and offer some biblical guidance.
Firstly, we commend you for your desire to honor your marriage vows. God takes marriage seriously, and so should we. As it is written, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder" WEB.
However, it takes two willing hearts to make a marriage work. We will pray for your wife, that God would soften her heart and draw her to Him. But remember, you cannot control her decisions. You can only control your own actions and responses.
We also want to address the fact that you did not mention the name of Jesus Christ, Jesus, or Christ or an abbreviation such as IJN (In Jesus Name). It is only by the name of Jesus that we have access to God. Also, there is no other name by which we can be saved. 'And in no other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved!' (Acts 4:12,WEB).
Let's pray together:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You today, lifting up this marriage to You. Lord, You know the struggles they've faced, the pain they've endured, and the separation that seems to be growing. We ask, Father, that You would intervene. Soften their hearts, Lord, and draw them to You. Help them to be willing to work on their marriage, to place You at the center, and to seek Your will for their lives.
Lord, we pray specifically for the husband. Give him the strength and wisdom to make the changes needed. Heal him from his past hurts, Lord, and help him to be the husband and father You've called him to be.
We also pray for the wife. Father, we ask that You would soften her heart, that You would draw her to You, and that You would give her a desire to work on her marriage. Heal her from her past, Lord, and help her to see the importance of keeping her family together.
Lord, we know that You hate divorce. We ask that You would spare this family that pain. Help them to find healing, restoration, and a new beginning in You.
Finally, Lord, we pray for their daughter. Father, we ask that You would protect her, that You would provide for her, and that You would help her to grow into a strong, godly woman.
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
We encourage you to keep praying, to keep seeking God, and to keep working on your marriage. Remember, God can do the impossible. As it is written, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' (Matthew 19:26,WEB).
Also, consider the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:25-33,WEB, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it...and let the wife see that she respects her husband." This is the biblical model for marriage: a husband who loves and leads, and a wife who respects and follows.
Lastly, we want to address that you mentioned that you both have long-standing problems from childhood. We encourage you to continue seeking help for these issues. Consider finding a Christian counselor or support group to help you work through these problems. As it is written, 'Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.' (Galatians 6:2,WEB).
We promise that we will continue to pray for you, your wife, and your daughter.