In a recent session, a client opened up about a pain many parents know too well. Through tears, she confessed, “My son isn’t a believer, and it breaks my heart. Our relationship suffers because of it. He gets frustrated whenever I mention God or even when I pray for him to come to faith. What should I be praying for?”
It’s deeply painful when our children don’t walk the narrow path we hoped they would. We hold on to the truth that their journey isn’t over, that God is still at work, but that doesn’t stop the ache of waiting. Many parents feel stuck, uncertain of what to pray for when hope feels fragile. If that’s you, here are a few guiding prayers to help:
1. “God, let me see You in this.”
Pray to see glimpses of God’s work in your child’s life, even in the smallest moments. Ask for reminders of His sovereignty and grace. This prayer isn’t just about comfort but about a reminder of who ultimately holds control. It invites God to replace your need to control with a spirit of surrender, helping you rest in His timing.
2. “Let me really see my child in this.”
This prayer is about cultivating genuine connection. While you and your child may not share the same beliefs, love and respect can bridge many gaps. Ask God to help you really see your child – not through a lens of fear, but through His eyes. Pray to notice the God-given qualities in your child, even if those qualities are not used for Godly pursuits. When we see our children with compassion, we’re better equipped to love them where they are. This allows you and your child to have deep love, respect, and connection together, even through differing beliefs.
3. “Let my child see me in this.”
Parenting isn’t about perfection. You won’t say or do everything right, and mistakes are inevitable. Pray that God would cover those missteps and allow your child to see your genuine heart. Ask that, even if words fail, your child would feel your love and your longing for deep connection with them.
4. “Let my child be a truth-seeker, no matter where it leads.”
A wise prayer my parents prayed over my siblings and me was not that we would inherit their faith, but that we would genuinely seek truth—wherever it might take us. This prayer releases our desire to see our children mirror our beliefs and surrenders them to God. It’s a faith-filled request that acknowledges God’s ability to reveal Himself through any path, in His own way.
5. “Help me surrender.”
We can’t bring our children to God through sheer will. Only God can reach and change a heart. This prayer is a plea for perspective—a reminder that, while we may play a part in our child’s journey, it’s ultimately in God’s hands. It’s a prayer that moves us from fear-driven control to faith-fueled surrender. When we relinquish the burden of “saving” our children, we find freedom and strength to love them fully.
6. “Give me wisdom and discernment.”
While surrender is crucial, you still have an influential role in your child’s faith journey. There is a time for everything, so pray for discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent. When to act and when to be still. Balancing influence without overstepping is challenging, and it requires constant wisdom from God. Ask Him to guide you in each interaction so that your words and actions stem from a place of love and respect, not fear or desperation.
7. “Help me love them well—according to Your standards.”
As parents, we sometimes equate our success with our children’s feelings or their life choices. But our measure of success should be grounded in God’s standards, not in our child’s responses. Pray for the strength to love your child as God calls you to: with compassion, respect, and a genuine desire to understand. Seek to validate their experiences, apologize where needed, and be gentle in your truth. God’s standards call us to love unconditionally, even when our love may be misunderstood or unappreciated.
These prayers are an invitation to trust God’s work in your child’s life and to find strength, peace, and surrender in the process. They help us lean on God’s sovereignty, reminding us that while the journey may be messy, He’s faithful to work through it all. As you wait, may you find hope in God’s ability to reach your child in ways that go beyond your own, resting in His steadfast love.
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