Parenting Tip #7 – Prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Parenting Tip:
Create a Rhythm of Prayer
There’s something powerful about rhythm—daily habits that shape our lives without us even realizing it. One of the greatest gifts we can offer our children is the habit of prayer.
When I was growing up, my parents modeled prayer for me. Whenever I shared a problem about school or friends, my mother would say, “Let’s pray about it,” and right then and there she would ask God for guidance. When making big decisions or facing a crisis, my father’s first action was very often to pray. And I remember my youth pastor asking, “When you tell someone you’ll pray for them, why not do it right away?”
The well-known Christian psychologist, Dr. James Dobson, was a guest speaker at our church when my wife and I were young parents. He asked the congregation, “Do you pray with your kids every night? If not, why not?” That really struck a chord with me, and from then on, I made it a priority to pray with them each night. My wife and I were recently talking about prayer with our kids, and my youngest shared that she prays every night before she goes to bed. That was so encouraging.
Prayer was becoming a regular habit for my daughter. Learning to lean on God through prayer is a gift we can give our children. You don’t have to be perfect at praying. Start small. Pray in the car. At the dinner table. Before school. Let your kids hear you thank God for the good and ask Him for help in the hard. Your prayers will teach them that God is not just a Sunday topic—He’s a daily friend and Father.
Apologetics (Defense of the Biblical Worldview)
Child: Why doesn’t God always answer my prayers?
Parent: The Bible promises that God does always hear our prayers. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 3:12 that the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers. God might not always answer in the way or timing we expect, but He always hears us. Prayer is about building a relationship with Him, not just asking for things. We speak to him through prayer, and he speaks to us through our time spent reading and studying the Bible.
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