Our role as parent never ends. The job description changes, but the job is never done. To me, the job as a mom was more comfortable when my children were small. As grown adults, they are out of my hands. Their decisions, choices, and actions belong to them. The only thing I can do as their mother is pray.
In today's world, our adult children face trials and obstacles unimagined when we were young adults. Our grown children need us to pray for them. We need to pray for their plans, wisdom, and protection. Praying for our adult children invites God to work in their lives and gives us comfort that only the One who can will.
Here are 10 prayers your adult children need you to pray:
A Prayer to Bless and Then Release Your Adult Children to God
To bless someone is to speak well-being and promises over them. Our prayer asks God to bless them, to speak goodness over them. Releasing them to God gives Him the control over their lives, not us. God's plans for our children are far better than anything we can imagine.
Father, thank you for the privilege of being a parent to my children. Thank you for guiding the time I had with them as children. Today, I release them as adults to your care and guidance. You will fight for them and delight in them (Zephaniah 3:17). Bless them and keep them. Let your face shine upon them.
'"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)
A Prayer for Your Adult Child to Bravely Enter Adulthood
The entrance to adulthood is scary. This new season of life is filled with new responsibilities, expectations, and a lot of unknowns. Praying for our sons and daughters to bravely enter their adult lives with confidence and the presence of God gives us comfort and our children the courage and guidance they need.
Dear Lord, fill my children with the maturity and confidence to step into adulthood. Help them face the unknowns and expectations ahead with maturity and discernment. Guide them to put away things of their youth that do not benefit them in their adulthood and take up the things that make them caring, productive adults. Lead them toward godly pursuits and not childish desires.
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11)
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A Prayer for Friends and Fellowship
In the early church, the first Christians spent time together doing the ordinary things of life—working, sharing everything, and eating meals together. This fellowship helped to build strong bonds and also aided in strengthening them to face the troubles ahead. Our children need the same kinds of relationships.
Dear God, send the right people to be part of our children's lives. Help them to learn to live together well, to build each other up and share their blessings and their needs. Bind them together with godly men and women that strengthen their trust and faith in You.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)
A Prayer for Your Adult Child's Future Spouse
When my sons neared adulthood, I daydreamed about what their future might be. Who would they marry? How many children? These are the typical questions we all want to know. What I forgot to ask was, "What are God's plans for my children?" "Who does God have for my sons to marry?" We need to pray for the spouse God has for our sons and daughters.
Father, we praise you that you have great plans for our sons and daughters. May our children know they are treasures and worthy of love. Lead them to the person who sees them in the same way. Once they become one, let their bond be secure, and their love for each other be profound. May they place a relationship with You first. As their parent, show me how to love their spouse as my child and make that person feel welcome in our family.
“Therefore a man shall leave his Father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)
A Prayer for Your Adult Child to Be Godly Parents
As parents, we know the importance of teaching our children to follow Jesus, to trust God for everything, and give glory to Him only. But will our children do the same with their children? Let us pray for our grown children to grow into godly parents.
You, God, are the ultimate Father. You love us with great love and show compassion to your children. Help our children guide and teach their children the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). We pray for our children to be present and engaged with their children, and when parenthood is difficult, help them to avoid angry words and to give grace and understanding.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” (Psalm 127:3)
A Prayer for Protection from Harm
No matter how old my sons become, I will forever be concerned about their safety and well-being. When they were small, that was a full-time job protecting them from busy streets and hot stoves, but as adults, they are out of my reach and my view. But not God's. He has the power to protect them from anything that may be harmful. He watches over them. Let us pray for their protection from harm.
Father, You see what we can never see, the potential harm, and pain. We ask you to build a hedge of protection around our children (Job 1:9). Protect them from the evil of this world, from the dangers that lie waiting in the dark. You are their mighty warrior, their protector. Keep their steps in safety and far from harm.
“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)
A Prayer During Painful Times
We will have sorrow and suffering on this earth. It could be death or severe illness or job loss or relationship problems. Troubles will come. But in James 1:1, we are told to count it all joy when we have trials and difficulties. Wouldn't it be wonderful to shelter our children from such pain? This is not completely possible, but we can pray that God will uphold our children and strengthen them in difficult days.
Our Father Creator, we know that trouble will come for our children. Strengthen our sons and daughters. Let them know your presence as you walk through the waters with them (Isaiah 43:1-3). You, Father God, are faithful and will protect our children from the evil one. You alone give them the strength to endure. Your grace is sufficient.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
A Prayer for Your Adult Child's Wisdom and Discernment
James 1:5 says that if we need wisdom to ask God who will give generously. His wisdom is not from the world, but from heaven, pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, and full of mercy (James 3:7). Our sons and daughters need God's wisdom to discern what is best, not just good.
Father, give our children the wisdom to know what is best, to be pure and blameless. Your wisdom is like gold, precious, and pure. Help our sons and daughters to see the world through godly wisdom and to discern your will for their lives.
“The One who gets wisdom loves life; the One who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.” (Proverbs 19:8)
A Prayer for An Adult Prodigal Child
Sometimes a child chooses a path that leads to despair and sin. As parents, it's hard to watch our sons and daughters make bad choices and suffer the fallout. Even harder is to watch as they continue to go down a road of destruction. In those times, we remember that God knows our pain, loves our children more than we do, and He is working in their lives, whether we see it or not. Our job during this time is to wait for God. While we wait, we watch for them to come down the road home.
Father, this is the most difficult prayer to pray. You know the dreams we had for our children and hopes for their future, but now we are brokenhearted. We ask that you work in their hearts. We know that you want everyone to come to repentance and not perish. We ask that you protect our children from harm until they come home. Father, praise you that although we are blind to your plans, we trust your good and perfect ways.
“He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall see the light.” (Job 33:28)
A Prayer for Your Adult Child to Know and Live for Jesus
The greatest gift we can give our children is introducing them to Jesus. The best gift for us is when they continue to follow Jesus as adults. Let us pray for our grown children to continue living for Jesus. If they do not know Jesus, our prayer is that they will meet Him soon.
Father, you love us so much that you sent your Son to atone for our sins and the sins of our sons and daughters. Thank you that they know you and pursue godliness. Help them to continue to seek your face and share your love. For the grown children yet to know you, we pray that you will shine your loving light through the tiniest crack in their hearts and give them a desire to know you. Amen.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Tamela Turbeville lives for every woman with a difficult past to know God loves them, they are worthy and wanted. She is wife to Richard, and mother to three grown sons and two beautiful daughters-in-law. When doing what she loves most-- studying God’s Word, reading and writing--she is surrounded by her six rescue dogs in her small office in south Arkansas. She began Living One Word to write and share how God redeems the unlovable and you can read more about Tamela, her journey, and her family at www.livingoneword.com, on Facebook, and Instagram.
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