I love my kids, God gave me three beautiful ones. I am ready and I am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that they are well, comfortable, happy, and that they grow to be sound, well rounded human beings. Every day when I wake up, I think and explore different ways to achieve that. I have done and continue to do as much as I possibly can but having done all, I acknowledge that I am human, I am limited, I have limited time and limited resources, that I would want to protect them but I can’t be everywhere, that I would love to give them all they need and desire but I don’t have everything, that I can only shape their behavior to a certain length but the core of who they are, needs their Creator who can see and have access to areas of their being that I cannot touch.
Having done all I am left with but one thing, which is prayer. The power of prayer in shaping our kids should not be underestimated as we raise and groom our kids.
What is prayer
Prayer is talking to God, petitioning Him on things beyond our abilities.
You will agree with me that in our parenting journey there are things that are beyond our abilities. Things beyond our understanding, beyond our resources e.g the safety and the health of our kids, who they hang out with, etc, because this is beyond us, we can only look up to Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith to cover up for our limitations.
Why should parents pray?
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To partner with God
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To acknowledge our limitation
Why do we need to partner with God, because we are limited and He is not. Whatever is a big deal to us its nothing to Him. Who wouldn’t want such a partner? Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing shall be impossible.
3. Because our responsibility towards our kids is not only for the physical but for their soul and spirit.
Every parent desires and anticipate great success in their child life, but in most cases, the success we anticipate is all in the physical, we foresee success in business, in their careers and their relationships but we hardly ever spare a thought that their soul and spirit also need some grooming and nurturing.
‘ Matthew 16: 26 ‘What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?’
1 John 1:4 ‘ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth’.
4. To ask God for guidance & to seek parental wisdom
Wisdom is the quality of having good judgment, knowing what next to do, or say. Would you agree with me that, as parents, we are sometimes clueless about what should be the next right move concerning our children.If you find yourself there know that if you ask Him, God is ready to generously give you the wisdom and answers you need when you ask him. Believe Him.
James 1:5 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
5. To commit them and they’re every move into the hands of their creator
The truth is, we are just stewards entrusted with our kid’s life but full ownership is reserved for God and Him alone. He is the one with the master plan hence our responsibility is to petition Him for the plan and the wisdom to execute it.
Jeremiah 29: 11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’.
6 . To seek the creator’s purpose about their lives.
We are all born for a specific purpose and our contentment as we mature is dependent on discovering and living up to that specific purpose. Purpose is something that most adults are still struggling to discover. We must help our kids discover theirs before they embark on the wrong path. The following scriptures are clear on the fact that we were predestined before we were even born.
Acts 13: 36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.
Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do
7. To break generational curses
There are patterns that sometimes repeat themselves within family lines, some are good and some are bad. The good can be preserved and promoted to enhance their flow from one generation to the next and the bad should be put to a halt. Children should never suffer due to the iniquities and curses of the previous generation.
Lamentations 5:7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.
8. We pray to teach them to pray
The best way to teach prayer is to model it Let our children see and hear us pray. Teaching them the importance of prayer and how to pray is a legacy they will treasure for the rest of their lives. It might feel pointless when you teach them while they are young, he might not see the need now but we shouldn’t be weary because when they are old they will remember and understand
Proverbs 22:: 6 ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it’.
9. We pray for peaceful parenting
The peace I am talking about is not dependent on circumstances around you, It has nothing to do with what your child is doing but it is the peace that is given by God, for you to enjoy it, in different circumstances. It is the peace that expresses that you have surrendered to God and you are confident He will not fail concerning your children.
Philippians 4:6-7“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
10. Fear against possible dangers
Parents will have peace if they can have an assurance that their kid’s safety is guaranteed. Thoughts of some danger hovering over your child’s life is enough to give any parent sleepless night but because we can only be at one place at a time its important that we surrender our kid’s safety to the omnipresent God.
Psalm 32: 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
11. Fear concerning their health
When doctors and specialists fail concerning our child health, our last and ultimate hope remains in the one who knitted the child in your womb, take the matter to God in prayer
3John 1:2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
12 .Fear that they will fail in their different endeavors
We should make it a habit to commit our child every move to God, God promised us to bless the works of our hands. Fervently pray for your child at every phase of his life.. Pray when he is going to start a new grade, pray as he joins the new sort club, when he goes to college, when he starts a business, when he starts dating, the list is endless.
Proverbs 16: 3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
13 Fear of wrong company
This is every parent’s worse nightmare to see their kids associating with a bad company is the genesis of all that destroys good character and behavior. unfortunately, this is just one of the things that kids are quick to defend – their friends. When everything else fails don’t give up because God can intervene in unexpected ways, turn to prayer.
1 Corinthians 15 :33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.
1Proverbs 13: 20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
The list is truly endless, We pray for the hearts of those who went wayward to come back to God We pray to forbid the devil access to our kids, we pray because we understand that there is a battle over our child life and our victory is in God We pray for them to grow in the knowledge of God ,we pray for all their needs to be met
Final Thoughts
I remember, during my university days, a friend of mine came back from holidays not happy at all, he was deeply troubled. Upon inquiry he narrated a story that shocked me. He explained that for years every time before he leaves home after the holidays his mother will usually sit him down to pray for him. He knew he was a wayward child but he believed and knew that his mother’s prayers are what preserved him even in his wayward ways
Good news he eventually embraced Christ as his Lord and savior and learned to pray for himself. Even if he valued his mother’s prayers this much, his mother might have never known the value that her prayers add in her son’s life .very few kids go back just to say thank you mom/dad for praying for me, but deep within they know they need to those prayers.
Kids need praying parents, I recently saw a post on Facebook of one celebrity who is doing well in his music career, publicly expressing his heartfelt gratitude to his father, appreciating him for his never-ending prayers for him.
I have been privileged to witness many parents reaping the fruits of praying for their kids over time.
And I can conclude that prayer is one of the best parenting tips I can offer to parents who desire to raise their sons to be incredible men.
Resources
Hello there Bogadi, Your article ‘How To Pray For Your Children – Parents Partnering With God’ was truly uplifting and insightful and I’m glad that I came across this article. I think it’s vital to introduce your children to praying from a young age so that they grow with it and later on it becomes a hobby rather than an activity that they have to do.
Hey
Thank you for being here. You are making a very important point, teaching kids to pray at a young age will shape how they approach prayer as they grow.
Prayer is indeed a powerful thing for you and those around you. As parents, you are right, we do not have all of the answers. And, sometimes prayer is the only thing we have left that we can do.
One of the times that I pray the most is in the evening before I go to sleep. My mind is racing about so many things that happened that day or about what I’m going to do tomorrow or where I want to be a few years down the road.
So, to settle down I simply do the Lord’s Prayer and it puts me to sleep.
Once our kids have moved out of the nest, about the only thing we can do is pray for them. Prayer is not bothered by distance.
Hey Les
I appreciate your visit
The mere fact that we do not have all the answers is the very good reason, why we need to pray. Keep praying it is never in vain .
Hello Bogadi, thank you for your post. I love to see these kind of posts more and that makes my day. Thanks God that I found your post. Partnering with God is the best way to seek for opinions, ways to solve problems, a pathway to guide you to the best way what to choose. Every single time when I had questions, I would think of “WWJD”. Your post is very encouraging and I hope you can continue with your good work!
Hi Anna
Thank you for stopping by. Its true partnering with God will ease our partnering challenges. WWJD is the good question to always ask, it will sure give you direction in your many endeavors
Rather good to see here. As parents, other than the physical upbringing of the kids, we are tasked with their upbringing spiritually too and ensure a balance is reached between the two. What you have shared here is great and definitely something that most patents should have access to. Thank you
Hello there, Prayer is a partnership with God Prayer is one of the most intimate and beautiful activities in which human beings can engage, And i must say its one of the best time to bring in your children and i think the best thing to pray about is the future and security of your kids and also adding their health too and with God being god they are safe for life.
Hello Bogadi, Thank you for your moving post. We often don’t realise how powerful prayers can be, but in my life I have seen the evidence so many times that it has motivated me to pray often. I could actually feel how much my own parents have prayed for me, and I am convinced that their prayers have saved me from many dangers and wrong decisions. Thanks again for your encouraging post!
I am not a Christian but having read this, I see the value of praying. I have 2 beautiful daughters and I do wish them to grow up beautifully, peacefully, happily and healthily. There are lessons and values here I can model from. I thank you for this great post.
Prayer is what connects us to the best part of ourselves. When we pray, we are not addressing a higher power, but what we know exists in us and what will help us to be better people. Prayer can help a lot both young and old, all those who feel in their life’s journey that they need support and encouragement to move on.
Hey Trud
Thank you for stopping by
Hey Trud
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
When it comes to praying for children, I learnt it with my second child. I read supernatural child birth alongside with my wife. The book thought us to pray for our child from pregnancy. His delivery was a testimony, and now, he is just wonderful. Now we spend time praying for our children and we teach them to pray
Hey Parameter
Thank you for stopping by
I love the title of the book you mentioned, I will check it out .
Hi Bogadi,
Thanks for this very thoughtful and well articulated article.
It’s actually frightening when you realise how much of your growing child’s time is spent with people other than you and / or spouse. And in many cases it is with people not close to you, your values or your beliefs at all! Let’s face it – it does happen: one person your child comes across for a fleeting moment, could sway the course you were charting in a completely different direction!
In terms of Prayer, don’t you think it’s critical that you don’t just pray FOR them, but that you also pray WITH them?
Regards.
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
I agree with you, praying with them , is the best way to teach them to pray.
This is such a thoughtful post. It is important that we lead our children in things that are good and things that will help them to grow into spiritual beings. When parents pray, you spread that warmth to your children so that, as they mature, prayer – a parent’s prayer – will follow them into adulthood and to the next generation.
Hey Marsha
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible Boy
I like the sound of your prayers following them into adulthood, how powerful is that?
I had never known how big the role of parenting was not until I became a parent myself. This role is indeed God given and and its only God that empowers you to become a true parent. We must therefore always consult the almighty for these little ones for sure. Praying for our kids is very helpful for their proper upbringing and generally their future.
Hey Paul
Thank you for stopping by The Incredible boy
Parenting is indeed a calling and the one who called us will empower us.Lets keep praying for our kids .
Hello Bogadi, first, I want to thank you for this educational article. Every parent, who knows God and the power of praying can not let the day end without praying for his kids. I have a daughter, and I pray for her every day. She is three years old, and I prayed for her, even when she was in my womb. I thank God for listening to my prayers because If I have my daughter in my life is only God’s gift. Mostly, I pray for my daughter to be healthy, and God protect her, bless her with wisdom to be a thankful person in her life. Also, I like to pray for wisdom for myself, as you mention in your article, to be a good parent, and God learn me how to go through various situations with my daughter every day, as she is growing up.
I will keep in mind all your points for praying for my daughter. Also, I like to share this article to help other parents to know more about this topic.
God bless your family, your three kids, and your good work.
Alketa
This was a fascinating and illuminating article on prayer for your children. I always thought that it was a lightweight solution to hoping your children will sort themselves out. But I can see now how if you pray when they are around you for them they can see that you care and how you would like them to be in their lives. I’m not religious at all but I can see the value in what you suggest and I know that my mother would have wished me the best in my life and at the end that is still prayer.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, very interesting.
I found this serendipitous to have come across this article you wrote. It resonated with me deeply. This past Sunday at Mass, I did exactly that. My son is 33 now and has kids of his own. He has more challenges than I did at his age. I wasn’t even married then.
My prayer is for God to keep him and his family safe. And to give him the wisdom to make the right decisions throughout his life. The areas that concern me are exactly those that you detail in this post.
Thanks for writing it. I wish that God will answer your prayers for your kids.
Cheers.
Edwin
I absolutely love this article. As a Christian, I enjoyed reading this article. I picked up a few tips that I will definitely share with my parents. You hardly come across articles that are God centered so it’s always great to come across one. I love what you’re doing, keep it up.
This is the best ever content that I have encountered, praying to God for our children’s sake is the only thing that can’t be done by anyone other than God. Whenever we are away from them the only way that our anxiety can be relieved is by praying to God and entrusting to him the safety and good health of them. You’re so knowledgeable about bible verses which all of them are giving inspiration for all parents to give them peace of mind. There is nothing that can compare to the feelings when we have God in our lives. I praise you for being a person of God. There are just so few of you in the world who have such heart and mind that is truly believing in the existence of God. I myself is trying to be the same as you, and I also fully believe in what God can do to my life. I entrust everything to the Lord. Thank you for the holy content of yours, that I am not anxious anymore, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, I express everything to God through prayer all the worries and fear, because I believe that the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Once again you have a very awesome content, please keep it up by sharing more to the world. May God bless you and your family as always.