God Hears Our Spontaneous Prayers Too
Bible Verse
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. (CEV) Ephesians 6:18
As a pastor, I encourage families to pray regularly throughout the week. For children, this often comes in the form of saying grace before the meal, expressing thanks to God for blessing the home with many things, and asking the Lord to protect each member as they go about the day.
However, it is just as crucial for children to understand that God wants to hear their prayers in every situation. Because he is a loving heavenly Father who cares for them, children can have confidence that he will not judge them for saying a spontaneous “wrong” prayer or correct them when they use words that don’t sound “right.” Especially during unexpected periods of loss, mourning, or anxiety, equipping children ahead of time can allow them a better foundation for navigating through difficult moments.
Here’s how parents can assist children in feeling comfortable to pray spontaneously:
The Holy Spirit is here. The Holy Spirit speaks for people as they struggle with their weaknesses. Romans 8:26-27 says that the Holy Spirit helps us, even when our words fail us. The Spirit is with us at our lowest moments. What an incredible thing for our children to know that the Spirit can speak on their behalf when feelings overcome them! Children don’t need to have a perfect prayer to talk to God. All they need is a desire to know God and trust his power.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Encourage children to embrace the idea that God loves them very much. They are God’s children. Love is the basis for their close connection with their heavenly Father, not anything they earn, say, or do. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.”
Because of Jesus Christ, we can find comfort that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). God is here to listen, and our spontaneous, imperfect prayer won’t stop God from liking or loving us. God’s love for us is much greater than anything we can do or say.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Teaching Our Children to Ask God.
Derek Wong
Derek is the Children's Ministry Pastor at Malvern Baptist Church. He is passionate about sharing God’s love through Jesus in creative and animated ways. He also enjoys collaborating with other people from different backgrounds. He lives in Toronto with his amazing wife Andrea.
