What Does It Really Mean to Be Your Husbands Helper? 5 Practical Ways

I grew up watching the robust sermons of the late Dr. Myles Munroe. In my teen years, I would have preferred to watch the movies and TV series of the day. But my dad would have none of that. Not in his house.

So when my siblings and I would slump down on the couch to catch up on a show, dad would swiftly take over the TV remote and switch to the sermons. And we would just sit there, helpless, egg in face. None of us dared to walk away in fear of displaying our worldly priorities to dad.

Needless to say, the fervor, eloquence, and passion with which the late Doctor delivered his messages got me hooked. There is a particular message that struck a chord with me in those early years.

Maybe because I had a few questions about my life’s purpose looming over my head. When you are a teenager, you get bombarded with counsel whichever side you turn. Because people who care about you realize you have entered a ‘hormone overload zone\’. And they need you to pull through.

Anyway, Dr. Myles would argue that if you wanted to know the purpose of an item, you needed to ask the manufacturer.

Because only the manufacturer of an item knows its intended use and full potential. People who don’t bother to interrogate what the manufacturer had in mind are bound to abuse the item. That analogy never left me.

God The Manufacturer

Nobody knows the role of a wife better than her manufacturer, God.

\”And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’’(New King James Version, Gen. 2.18).

Picture God during creation putting labels on both man and woman. He plasters the label \”Needing Help\’\’ on the man and  \”Helper\’\’ on the woman. He then takes an eyeful of the duo and triumphantly declares \”This is very good!\”

There you have it, a wife\’s primary role is to be her husband\’s helper.

As wives, we can accomplish great feats (and we should) but we should never lose sight of that primary purpose. I find this truth very daunting. It makes me cringe when I think of all the ways I may not be helping my husband. After all, aren’t our husbands the symbol of strength in our homes? Why would the macho man need a helper?

So I went on a quest to find out how wives can play out this ‘helpful’ role. Here are five practical ways I found out.

1. Offer Companionship

God already said it – It is not good for man to be alone. He needs company to thrive and guess what? God did not designate that role to your husband\’s  buddies. You as the wife are perfectly designed for that. But you need to be a good sport for him and not a pain.

Can your husband trust you with his secrets? Does he feel safe pouring his heart to you? You ought to be his number one buddy.

You can fan your friendship flame by learning a thing or two about his hobbies, taking an interest in his favorite TV shows, and engaging him in topics he finds enthralling.

As a wife, constantly seek ways in which you can connect to your husband as a friend.

2. Stop the Bickering

“Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman” (Prov 21.9).

Wives often fall into the trap of constantly correcting, rebuking, and nagging their husbands. I know I do. But this only serves to push our husbands away. Who knew that the corner of a housetop could be more desirable than a house!

After a hard days job, a man craves calm and tranquillity. Do all you can to ensure that peace is what greets him at the door. Let your feminine organizational skills be imprinted in your home.

Provide a clean, well-organized and harmonious home for your hubby to retire to each day. Do away with the pestering and nagging and replace it with sweet smiles, gratitude, and affirmations.

3. Support His Projects and Dreams

Plainly put, you need to be your husband’s number one cheerleader. As he shares his plans and dreams, your role is not to roll your eyes and poke holes in his grand plans. He needs to know you are in his camp.

Any contrary opinion you hold matters but it should be relayed in a supportive and kind manner. I believe women have great intuition and can smell trouble miles away. Don’t shy away from letting him know when something he is on to doesn’t feel right with you.

One way of showing him your support is by offering to run some of the errands involved in his projects. That way he doesn\’t need to second guess your allegiance to him.

 4. Pray For Him

Praying for your husband is one of the best gifts you can give him. After all, you are the one who truly knows him. You know what makes him tick, his fears, hopes, and dreams. Pray that God would shape his character, pray for his health, his work and walk with God.

And after praying, leave it to God to choose when and how to answer. If you for instance desire to see a change in character, pray up and shut up. It is not upon you to effect the change. Many wives have tried that route and failed dismally. Just leave it to God. That works much smoothly.

5. Gird Yourself with Strength

Getting married for me came with this overarching sense of security. In my warped view, my husband automatically became my knight in shining armor while I settled in as his damsel in distress. He would obliterate all my hurdles. All the curve balls that life thrust at me were for him to handle.

I trust you are getting the sense of how deluded I was. It did not take too long before he burst my bubble. I was shocked to hear him say that he needed me to be a strong woman. A brave woman who takes challenges in her stride. One who derives her confidence not from her husband but from her identity in Christ.

‘’Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come’’ ( Prov 31:25).

The Proverbs 31 woman whom I constantly moon over is nothing close to a damsel in distress. She exudes confidence, virtue, wisdom, hard work, honor, and then some. She has so much going for her that most wives feel that they pale in comparison.

Above all, the passage states that her husband praises her. We all could use some praise from our husbands. Not because of our outward beauty and charm but because of our mind-blowing achievements.  Because of our gentle spirit, hard work, dexterity, generosity, and wisdom.

Final Thoughts

It\’s common Christian knowledge that wives are called to be their husbands\’ helpers. What many wives do not know is how to execute that role. We trust that our five practical ways of how to be your husband\’s helper will help clear the fog. Do you have additional tips up your sleeve? Indulge us in the comments.