How to Pray for Your Children

Scripture is clear: God answers our prayers and often grants our requests. Children are born, healed, helped, and saved because mothers pray for them. Mothers, too, receive what they need—from endurance to practical assistance—because they ask God for it. Scripture compels us to persist in prayer: in some unfathomable way, we move God’s heart and provoke Him to action (Luke 18:1–8). Think of Hannah who prayed persistently for a son, and then, with baby Samuel in her arms said, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him” (1 Sam.1:27). Think of James who wrote,

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

— James 5:16—18

Think of Jesus who, while on earth, prayed often and, now in heaven, continues to pray for His beloved flock (see Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34). Think of Scripture’s countless examples of people who spoke to God and He responded.

Our prayers will directly impact our children.

Contrary to popular belief, God does not just respond to prayer with yes, no, or wait. He is a divine person who responds to us as a person would: with questions, stories, compassion, silence, song, predictability, and surprise. God wants us to tell Him what we need, and He wants to answer us in an ongoing conversation. Perhaps God wants us to pray so we see our dependence become the change agent for the very thing we want (1 Thess. 5:17). Or perhaps He simply wants to be our dearest friend. I don’t know why prayer is so important to God, but I know that it is, and I know that God will move heaven and earth to respond to us according to His perfect will (see John 14:13–14; 16:23–24; 1 John 5:14–15).

So, I’m going for it. By God’s grace, I’m going to be a praying mom. Want to join me? We can pray expectantly for every aspect of our children’s lives. We can pray for our child’s:

• Salvation and joy in Christ
• Wholehearted love of God and people
• Physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being
• Character, obedience to Christ, and light in the world
• Friends, family, and local church
• Rest, work, and pleasure
• Past, including forgiveness and healing
• Present, including grace and faithfulness
• Future, including wisdom and endurance

Our prayers will directly impact our children. God will grant our requests—sometimes before the words even leave our mouths and other times after years of waiting. We will be amazed by the beautiful union of our ordinary prayers and our Maker’s compassionate heart.