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During my son’s adoption process, I struggled with feeling out of control. Many decisions for our future were made by people who had never met us. Even though adoption proclaimed my son’s legal status as a member of my family, I still have less control over his life than I would like to admit. In the same way, the devastating reality of miscarriage and the fallen state of this world means that I do not have complete control over the protection of the child in my womb now or after birth.
And yet, I serve a good, sovereign God. One thing I learned through miscarriage, adoption, and now another pregnancy, is that, as a believer, I have the ear of my Father. He delights in hearing from me, and prayer is a gracious gift that all believers should actively participate in.
If you struggle with understanding why we should pray when God is sovereign, here is an article that I would recommend.
This same God is the one who knit together my son in his mother’s womb and is currently knitting together another child in my womb. I may not be in control of their lives, but I can consistently and desperately pray to the One who is.
If praying for your children is something you struggle with, may the resources below guide you to look to Jesus, giving Him your rapt attention as you intercede on behalf of your little ones.
Reasons to Pray for Your Children
Pray for Your Children: The Priesthood of Parents – From Desiring God
“God has placed us in the lives of our children so that we will intercede for them. God placed Moses over the children of Israel for the specific purpose of crying out for God’s mercy upon them (Exodus 32:11–14). In the same way, we ought to plead with God to relent of his wrath against our sinful children.”
“…I think it’s pretty accurate to say that the good days are when we are practicing that Romans 12:12 “constant prayer”. That’s where we are seeking God, over and over again asking Him to help our unbelief and to trust Him, and looking at those around us with the love and grace that we have received.”
Prayer and Motherhood: An Interview with Valerie Woerner – From Risen Motherhood
“When schedules are full and urgent needs abound, it’s a struggle to run to God in prayer. We are hindered by distractions, unrealistic expectations, and even guilt, because we haven’t already gone to our Father with our needs. In this episode, Valerie Woerner, joins Emily and Laura in a conversation about how moms can intentionally rely on God through prayer in each season.”
What to Pray For Your Children
Seven Things to Pray for Your Children – From Desiring God
Before painting our son’s bedroom, I wrote these seven prayers on his walls. Mamas, these are not easy prayers to pray for your children, but I hope you will see the beautiful truths and promises within these verses.
7 Biblical Prayers Every Parent Should Say For Their Child – From Christ-Centered Mama
“However, we should be interceding for our children; going in and really praying FOR our children in the throne room of the Father Himself. Truth time: Going to Him and interceding on behalf of my children should take higher priority in THIS mama’s heart.”
“Our prayers are one of the most important weapons we have in our arsenal as Christians and what better thing to do as parents than to lift up our children in prayer? So I’ve set out to find how we can pray for our children that goes beyond “Help Jimmy to learn his lessons in school and help him to show Your love.” Here are five new ways that you can pray for your children.”
How to Pray For Your Children
If you are a new believer or a believer with struggles in your prayer life, here are two great resources on prayer.
Prayer for Beginners – From Desiring God
“Prayer should be prioritized and scheduled, but the beauty of our newfound freedom and mercy in Christ is that prayer can happen anywhere. It should start alone with God in your prayer closet, but it never needs to stay there. It must not stay there. Bring prayer into the cracks of your day.”
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller
“Prayer is awe, intimacy, struggle—yet the way to reality. There is nothing more important, or harder, or richer, or more life-altering. There is absolutely nothing so great as prayer.”
What Do You Think?
How do you keep praying for your children a regular part of your life? What are your favorite resources or verses on prayer?
These resources are great! Looking forward to digging in to a few of them. Praying for my children is so important!
One of the best lessons we can learn is that we are not in control and that God love our children more deeply than we are capable. Then we can entrust them to him fully. Wonderful post!
These are great resources for praying over our children. Looking forward to delving in. Pinning so I can come back!
Thanks for sharing these! And thank you for including my writing!