Praying for your Children

A frequent question I am asked at MOPS is, "How do I pray for my children?"

My quick response is, "Just do it!"

To give any real insight takes abit longer. I wrestled with this question as a young mom and tried many different approaches. When my kids were little I remember praying for things that seemed overwhelming and out of my control.

"Why is he crying all night, Lord"
"Help me to know how to explain my concerns to the doctor"
"I don't think I can do this on my own, Father"

As my children got older, I began praying that God would cover the areas I could not take care of...

"Be with Ryan as he goes off to camp"
"Help Rachel to do her best"

I found I was speaking to God in such generalities and often about things He already promised that I knew I needed to take a look at my prayer life.

I have prayed Bible verses for each child.

I have taken a day of the week and prayed throughout the day for a particular child.

I have found principles and qualities that I wanted manifested in my child's life and prayed specifically for those to be brought to my child's awareness.

I discovered that much of what I was doing that I considered prayer, was really just ME DOING something I thought God wanted me to do.

But, like everything else in my walk with the Lord, prayer is something He has provided for me, to draw me closer to Him...but He produces the results. It has nothing to do as to whether I pray for each child by name, if I find a verse to back up my request or if I eloquently said my prayer without error.

My prayer life has changed over the years. Prayer has changed me because once again I realized that what I wanted for my kids could only come by Christ living in them. I couldn't make them more compassionate, joyful or kind by praying for that in their lives. I could pray that my children continued to have a heart to know God. I could pray that they would trust God. That they would be humble in coming to God and simply rest in His promises.

I could pray that they would 'abide in Christ' and by abiding they would see the fruit of the Spirit become evident in their lives.

Much is written about prayer. Many 'programs' are taught, but it comes down to praying for a relationship for your child that will produce all the fruit of the Spirit because they simply abide in Christ.(John 15:5)

Is this different from what you have thought about prayer? Prayer is not an activity as much as it is BEING in the presence of God and letting Him live His life out through you. It is becoming REAL in relating to God.