5 Back to School Prayers to Pray Over Your Children

One of the best ways we can prepare our children as they go back to school is by praying for them. The change of a new school year, new classroom, new friends and new routines can cause stress and anxiety. Praying with your children and over them is one of the greatest weapons we have to battle worries and fears. Look toward the next year with hope and excitement to see how God will grow your child in faith and knowledge! 

Here are 5 prayers to pray for you kids as they make their way into a new school year.

Our Father in heaven,

We’re nearing another changing of seasons. Summer is winding down, and a new school year is beginning – just like it did last year, and the year before. Through this predictable repetition in our calendar and Your creation, we see Your faithfulness. Help us to look at the sunrise and remember that You always keep Your promises.  

As we approach another transition sending our kids back to school, conflicting emotions wrestle within us. New fears jostle with new hopes. We’re happy to send our children back to the classroom, and sad to see them go. We delight in their excitement, and worry with them over the unknown.

Calm our hearts, Lord, and give us a peace that passes understanding. Remind us to commit our children to prayer, each and every day.

Use these prayers focused on the whole being of your child - social. mental, emotional and spiritual.

1. A Back to School Prayer For Protection at School

Lord, as parents, our instinctual prayer for our children is that You would protect them. Please do protect their growing bodies, Lord -- but even more, protect their souls. Protect them from the deception of the evil one. Teach them the power they possess in the name of Jesus. Keep their eyes and ears from wickedness (Psalm 101:3). Strengthen their spirits to resist the devil, so that he will flee from them (James 4:7). 

Even when they are injured, whether in body or spirit, we pray that You would keep them strong in You.

2. A Back to School Prayer For Maturity 

Father, we pray that You would grow our children into men and women who love and serve You. We hate to see them suffer, Lord, and yet we know that in this world, we will have trouble (John 16:33). Help our children learn to lean into You, their Rock and salvation, when they face storms and trials in this life. Cause them to take heart, knowing that You have overcome the world (John 16:33). Teach them to cast all their anxiety upon You, trusting that You care for them (1 Peter 5:7). Help them to daily “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Hide Your Word in their hearts, that they might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

3. A Back to School Prayer For Boldness Among Peers

God in heaven, we know that the social and peer pressures of this world are real, and they are strong. Media bombards us with images and opinions, most of them ungodly. Satan uses a myriad of tactics to distract us from You; He has countless schemes to draw our attention away from the cross. Give our children feet that are firmly planted in Your truth. Grant them a passion to defend Your name and Your Word.

Help them not to be ashamed of the gospel. Persuade them in their heart of hearts that Your Word is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). Give them courage and confidence to keep their eyes on the prize of eternity. Make them willing to suffer for Your name, knowing that it will be worth it in the end, when they receive the crown of life. Give our children eyes to see the temporary nature of temptations in this life, and let them strive forward in hope of glory.   

4. A Back to School Prayer For Dependency on God

Help our kids realize that every breath that passes through their lips is a gift from You. 

You alone give life and breath to all living creatures. The earth and everything in it belongs to you (Psalm 24:1). Show our children Your glory. Show them Your majesty, through Your creation, and through Your presence in their lives. Help them to see that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). And help them to be grateful. Teach our kids that they can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). Show them their utter need and dependency for You. Father, we pray that You would cause them to bow the knee to You at an early age and acknowledge You as Lord and King. 

5. A Back to School Prayer For Compassion For Classmates

Father, we boldly ask that you would set apart our children as lights in a dark world. Make them shine like a city on a hill (Matthew 5:14). Make them like the good Samaritan, who took pity on the injured and offered help (Luke 10:25-37). Make our children willing and eager to serve.

Cause them to seek out the lonely child on the playground, the hurting and wandering soul. You are the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort – help our children to emulate Your character in all that they say and do. Clothe them with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

Lord, we’ve asked You for many things. We’re a needy people. Yet we bring You this final request, humbly and on our knees:

Help us, as parents, to trust You with our children. And even in that, Lord, we say “our children,” knowing full well that really – they’re Yours.

Amen.

Now available is our new Daily Prayer devotional! An easy way to find start your day with prayer, read today’s prayer and sign up to receive by email.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Santi Vedri