How to Pray for Our Children
Bible Verse
28 We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, Romans 8:28
How long have you been praying for your kids? You probably prayed for them before you even met them! We pray for our children to know and love God, to be healthy, and to be surrounded by a community that reflects the love of Jesus.
But do you ever feel run down as a parent? It’s exhausting to provide, discipline, teach, and always set an example. Or you might feel like everything is going smoothly and start to relax. Your kids are happy, healthy, and have friends—what could go wrong? Be on your guard because those “sleepy” moments are when Satan will tempt us—when we’re off-guard! We might get lazy in our prayer life, or if it feels like God isn’t answering our prayers, we might want to give up. But we can find encouragement in the Bible. The Bible shows examples of prayer that teach us to communicate with God consistently, conversationally, communally, and confidently.
Pray consistently
Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, gives us a simple instruction: “Pray continually.” Prayer is a spiritual habit that inhabits our lives. The more we pray, the more we want to pray. It may help us to pray to God at specific times habitually or to find a specific “quiet place” to pray, as Jesus did on the Mount of Olives. But we can also pray in the car, while we do laundry, and while comforting a crying child. God isn’t limited to time or place; he is always available and listening. God wants us to give everything to him in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7 CEV).
Pray conversationally
Sometimes, when I pray, I find myself doing all the talking, and I don’t stay quiet long enough to actually listen to God. But conversation isn’t one-way communication; it’s talking and listening. We don’t have to have eloquently worded, planned prayers. We can speak with God freely, as our Father and friend. Jesus taught us to pray humbly, simply, and sincerely (Luke 18:10-14 CEV, Matthew 6:9-13 CEV).
Pray communally
Pray with your spouse. Pray with your kids. Find opportunities to pray in community with others. Maybe there’s a group of parents from your kids’ school who wants to pray together or a small group of parents with kids the same age at your church. You’ll find that your faith and community strengthen when you bring your requests to God together (Matthew 18:20 CEV).
Pray confidently
Sometimes we don’t feel “good enough” to pray. We stumble on our words. We’re so frustrated and confused that we don’t know what to ask. But the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-28 CEV). Because of Jesus, we can confidently pray, knowing that our Father is working all things together for good. “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12 CEV).
Consistent prayer will help us resist the temptation to “sleep” and draw near to our Father instead. The more we pray for our families, the more we’ll learn to submit to God and honestly ask for his will to be done in our lives.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Easter Grace: Seize the Teaching Opportunity.
Areo Keller-Donahue
As soon as Areo could pick up a popsicle stick, she was making puppets and putting on plays that shared her faith with her neighbors. Areo grew up with a strong interest in musical theatre and earned her BFA at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Areo was led to use artistic gifts to share the gospel with young ones, and she became involved in ministry. She has worked in children's ministry at Redeemer Upper West Side and North Way Christian Community and is currently developing a musical live-action series that celebrates faith and fun. Areo and her husband live in Pittsburgh, where they enjoy spending time with their families and adorable cat, Daisy.
