How important is prayer for families? As parents, we’re told it is important to pray for our kids regularly. Is this really true? Does praying for our kids really matter?
I still remember a particularly “bad” day I had with the kids when they were younger. It was just one of “THOSE” days! The kids were out to break every rule, and it seemed as though they had forgotten everything I’d been trying to teach them.
It felt as though all I did that day was correct and discipline. (If you have several young children, I’m sure you can relate to this!) By supper time I was feeling tired, frustrated, and discouraged.I questioned whether all my efforts to teach and train them made any difference. It sure didn’t seem to be helping.
As these thoughts flooded my mind, the Lord quietly reminded me of two things.
My efforts were failing, because I forgot to seek His help. Usually, I pray for the kids first thing in the morning and ask God for His wisdom as I begin the day. When I forget, I can tell. Why?
My husband drives a truck for work, so he has time to pray for each of the kids, and for me. Sometimes (after “one of those days”) when he comes home I will ask him, “Did you forget to pray for us today?” When he replies yes, I’m not surprised.
Other times he asks me how the day went and I tell him things went well – the kids were good, etc. This time he’s not surprised because he had been praying for us.
It’s surprising how often we talk about prayer, yet how easily we forget to use it when in need. (And we’re always in need of God’s power!) Regardless of how much effort we put into teaching and training our children, without prayer, we won’t see the results we desire. God takes what we do, and uses it in our kid’s lives to produce fruit.
Except the Lord build the house, they labor in van that build it.” Psalm 127:1
Do you get stuck after, “God bless Junior”? If so, here are a few ideas of things to include as you pray for them:
1. The biggest thing is to claim the authority of your union with Christ and ask God to pull down satan’s plans against your children and pull down the strongholds.
I remember when one of my teens was struggling, and the pastor prayed with us. My eyes filled with tears as I heard him say, “...and Satan, leave her alone. She belongs to God, and you can’t have her….” Wow-what a great reminder of the spiritual battle we are in for our kids, and that praying is spiritual warfare.
2. Pray for each child according to his needs, his strengths, and his weaknesses.
3. Just a few of the specific things I have prayed for regularly for my kids when they were younger:
