Parenting is a joy, but it can also be downright difficult.
Sometimes, we go from being children to parents ourselves before we feel mature enough to understand how to weather this transition. Maybe we have less-than-stellar role models for what it means to be a good and godly parent, or we worry we’ll measure up to the excellent job our own parents did. Or perhaps we feel like we’re on track, trying our best to follow God’s will in our family, yet outside forces in the world cause frightening or demanding challenges.
Or maybe our family looks different from others in our midst, and we struggle to understand how to navigate certain aspects of family life in that context.
But God tells us time and again throughout scripture that he is our Father, our heavenly parent. And the Bible contains wise words about how to parent. As we are made in the image of the Lord (Genesis 1:27), we can understand that regardless of our human role models, we have the perfect role model in God, who loves us always and hears our prayers.
As we’re told in Romans 8:26-27, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (NIV).
Here are ten prayers for parents and caregivers of all kinds and in all circumstances: biological or adoptive parents, foster parents, single parents, stepparents, grandparents, empty-nester parents, and more.
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A Prayer for a Busy Season
Father God,
Sometimes, I feel so busy that it’s like life is at warp speed, as if I’ve hit the “fast” button on a movie and can’t figure out how to slow it down. Especially right now, this season is causing life to feel like a blur, and that’s both scary and upsetting. I worry I am missing out on the small, beautiful moments You want me to notice. I fear You speak to me, and I’m so busy I can’t even hear You amid all the noise, or You send me signs I cannot recognize.
I want to be a good and godly parent this season, and I’m so busy I’m sometimes not sure how to do this.
Therefore, my God, I turn to You and hand all of my concerns, worries, and fears over to You. I lay every one of them down at the foot of the cross and surrender everything. I know that alone, I cannot amount to anything. As Jesus said in John 15:1- 17, he is the vine, and I am just a branch on that vine. My strength and ability to bear fruit are entirely dependent on my connection to You.
No matter how busy life gets, You reign supreme. You are in control, not me, and not the circumstances that occur in my life or the situations faced by our family.
Help me parent in full understanding of this perspective, seeking You and Your command always.
Amen.
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A Prayer for Difficult Days
Precious Lord,
You know every bit of the circumstances of my life right now and all the challenges I face both as a person and as a parent. Right now is an incredibly difficult time in my life, and I struggle to shoulder the burden some days. My worries and anxieties threaten me, and I don’t know whether tomorrow will bring an even harder day than today.
Yet I can trust that whatever happens, You are there, walking with me. You are the true head of my home and the leader and lover of my heart, mind, and soul. I don’t walk through this alone—ever. I know that You will work all things out for my good and for Your glory when I commit myself and my ways to You completely.
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry but simply to focus on today. Today might be tough, but I can trust that I am held in Your hands and that, ultimately, all I need to do is look to You, and my family will be fine. This moment is just a blip on the grand scale of eternity, and no matter what we are going through, Your kingdom lies ahead.
Amen
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A Prayer for Safety
Heavenly Lord,
I can get so worried about my child’s safety. This world feels crazy sometimes, and I often feel powerless to protect my child from a sea of dangers surrounding us all.
But I put my trust in You completely. You made the sun and the moon, the earth and the waters, the entire universe—You are the only One who can do anything to protect us.
Therefore, I pray for a hedge of complete protection around my child. Please keep them safe, healthy, hopeful, and protected at all times today and always. Wrap them in Your comforting, protective cloak like a shield against evil forces at work in this world, whether physical or spiritual, emotional or mental.
Keep them safe, Lord. Keep them with You.
Amen
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A Prayer for Rebellious or Wayward Seasons
Holy God,
I’m scared—scared my child will stray from You, from me, from our home. Scared my child will make mistakes so grave they won’t ever be able to get back on track again. Scared, this path they are on will lead to destruction.
I don’t know what to do, and everything I’ve tried hasn’t worked. Help me, Lord. Help my child, my Father.
Show me the ways to love them, to speak to them, to share Your truth and guidance in a way that they will hear. Open their ears and their heart to You and Your truth, even if it’s not through me. In fact, if You need me to step aside and use other people to show them the way, give me the strength and wisdom to do what You wish, Lord. Help us, I beg.
I know that my child isn’t actually “mine” at all. I was simply gifted by You with the chance to be their parent, and as much as I love them, I know Your love for them surpasses mine by far, even though this truth is incredibly hard for me to comprehend. Please protect them and help them through this time.
Help me cling to faith that You will take care of everything.
Amen
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A Prayer of Joy
Father God,
My heart is overflowing right now with great joy. Thank You for the ability to be a parent and for the gift of this beautiful, precious child. I celebrate the incredible blessing it is to wake up and have this child to love, to parent, and to guide.
As I walk through today, help me keep this joy in my heart as I strive to share Your word and Your way with my child. Help us rejoice together as a family that we belong to You and are part of Your purpose and Your plan.
There is nothing in this world we can experience that can detract from this peace You give us.
Amen
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A Prayer for Step-Parents
Father God,
Being a stepparent can be so difficult at times. I am not related to my child biologically, nor was I there at the start of their lives. Sometimes, I feel like I’m in second place, like I’m not a “real” parent, yet my heart loves this child fiercely and deeply. It can also be hard at times to understand how to navigate the dynamics of this relationship.
Yet I know that biological relationships have very little to do with parenting. In fact, the Bible has an outstanding example for me in the form of Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us Mary was a virgin, and the child conceived in her was the Son of God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:29-37). Though Joseph was not Jesus’s biological father, he was Jesus’s earthly father, and he loved Jesus well.
Lord, help me to do the same no matter what life brings. Help me understand that my job as a stepparent is the same job as any type of parent—to love, to guide, to protect, and to raise my child in You. That’s also my job in life—to love and to help others know You. They are one and the same.
Thank You for the opportunity to parent this child. Help me remember that Jesus told us how we are to conduct ourselves by loving You with all our hearts, minds, and souls and by loving others as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). Let that be my guide as a parent, a spouse, and a follower of Jesus, now and always.
In Your holy name, I pray,
Amen
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A Prayer for Adoptive and Foster Parents
Heavenly God,
You know the depths of my heart, mind, and soul, and you know how much I love this child. Help me, Lord, to be the parent You desire me to be. Even though I did not birth this child, help me and my child understand that this does not matter.
We know how much Jesus loved his earthly mother, Mary. Yet he also acknowledged that his disciples were just as much his family, just as much beloved—indeed, they too were his mother and his brothers in the same way as his biological mother and brothers (Matthew 12:49).
Help that vast, beautiful love permeate every ounce of my being as I understand how deeply God loves me. God is love, the Bible tells us. As one who belongs to God, help that great love inspires me in all ways to handle and overcome any challenges in my life or in my child’s life.
Enable that love to help me share You and all Your ways in our family. Enable that love to help me follow You, turn to You, point to You, and seek You in all things and all situations.
When I fear or face difficulties, help me seek You and trust that You will guide me as a parent. And when I rejoice in little and big moments, help me bask in gratitude and appreciation for the precious gift You have entrusted to me.
Thank You, God, for the wisdom I have in my heart from the Holy Spirit and from Your word. I surrender all I am to You and have faith that You will show me the true path.
Amen.
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A Prayer for Parents Sending Their Kids to College
Holy Lord,
This is a strange new time in my life as a parent, and my heart and mind are in a tumult. For so long, our home looked one way, and I came to understand what it meant to be a parent in that environment. But things are changing. I don’t always understand the rules of this new manner of parenting, and I sometimes struggle with knowing what the appropriate words, advice, and feelings right now are.
In some ways, I imagine this is how You feel. You are our heavenly parent, and You created us. You breathed life into our lungs and have great plans for our life. Yet so often, we walk away from You and live life the way we think best. Perhaps we turn from You altogether or drift away from You for a long time. Maybe You grieve this and long for our return, yet You love us enough to let us go and rejoice at our return, like the father who rejoiced at the return of the prodigal son from Luke 15.
I might not have my child in my home anymore, but I’m still a parent, and my love transcends geography. So help me take my cues from Your love for all Your children. Your children might walk close with You or far from You, yet You loved us all so much that You sent us Jesus to show us the way. In the same way, I can love my children—whether they are nearby or far away, whether they live in my home or elsewhere. My comfort and peace come from You and nowhere else.
Amen
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A Prayer for Single Parents
Heavenly Father,
There are days I feel so alone as a parent. I don’t have a partner to parent alongside me, and it’s hard and overwhelming sometimes. How can I do all of this myself? Will I fail my kids? Will I fall apart or buckle under the pressure?
Help me understand the ruth I sometimes cannot see: Not for a minute am I ever alone. You are with me every step of the way.
As a believer, and as a follower of Jesus, I have Your Holy Spirit living inside of me, active and moving within my heart. Because of that, when I speak, Your words can flow from my lips. Your purpose can spring from my actions. Your protection goes with me and Your guidance is there, always. I am fully and completely connected with You at all times and in all circumstances.
Truly, I am never alone.
Thank You for this precious gift that enables me to do and bear all things through You.
Amen
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A Prayer for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Precious Lord,
My path isn’t always easy, nor is it perhaps what I envisioned. But Lord, I follow You. And because of this, I surrender all my ways and wants over to You. Help me to love this child in a way that honors and glorifies You. Help me to remember the great love You have for us all, and that aside from loving You, that’s my main priority in life: loving others as myself.
Therefore, fill me with that love that surpasses everything. Give me the ability through You to do hard things, to share Your word, and to model Your love.
Amen
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A Prayer for Exhausted Caregivers
Lord God,
I’m so weary. I don’t know how I’ll get through this next hour, let alone this day. I’m exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, and perhaps spiritually.
However, I know that You offer me living water, the kind of water that never runs out. I can drink from Your water and never, ever grow thirsty again.
Lord, pour out Your refreshment upon me. Give me supernatural peace, strength, energy, and stamina today. Help me to do Your work as I parent my child and honor Your will in everything I think, say, and do. Help me to love beyond my own limited earthly capacity, love in a way that draws others to You and, most especially, draws my child to You now and forevermore.
Amen
May these prayers help inspire many more conversations between you and God as you walk the path of parenthood.
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Originally published Wednesday, 14 August 2024.