Guided prayers to pray over your parents that you can change and contextualize or just pray along with. First, we will pray for the parents you want to bless. Second, we will pray for parents you want to bless with the knowledge of the love of Jesus and the Father. Third, we will pray for the parents you struggle to bless.
One of the most powerful things I’ve found is instead of telling someone you’ll pray for them- write it out and even text them the actual prayer. Number one, it causes you to actually pray for them instead of just saying you will, and number two, they are blessed by the prayer because they get to read it more than once if they’d like.
If you desire to bless them:
Heavenly Father (or Dad, or Abba, or whatever you call Him),
I come before You today with a heart full of gratitude and love for the wonderful parents You have blessed me with. I ask for Your divine blessings, protection, provision and healing upon them, that they may be covered in Your grace. May their days be filled with joy, their hearts with peace, and their spirits with strength. Guide them in all they do and give them wisdom in their decisions.
Please shower them with good health and long life. May they find comfort in Your tangible presence during difficult times and be surrounded by Your love in moments of joy. Help them to continue being a source of inspiration and support not only to me but to everyone around them and may they reap abundantly from what they sow. Please bless them with incredible happiness and the fulfillment of their dreams.
I thank You, Lord, for their unconditional love, their sacrifices, and their unwavering faith. May I always honor and cherish them as they deserve. In Your name, I pray.
I invite you to tell them in a significant way what they mean to you. Maybe it’s just one sentence like, “I want you to know I feel like you’ve been an amazing mom and I’m really grateful for all you’ve done.” And then if you feel awkward, simply say you need to pee.
If you desire for them to know Jesus:
I come before You with a heart full of love and concern for my parents. You are the God of all creation, the One who knows every heart and every soul. I lift up my parents to You, asking for Your divine intervention in their lives. Lord, I pray that You would soften their hearts and open their eyes to the truth of Your love and Your grace. Surround them with Your Holy Spirit, guiding them towards the light of Your salvation.
Father, grant them the wisdom to see beyond the temporal and to recognize the eternal value of a relationship with You. Place people in their paths who can speak Your truth with love and clarity and mercy, and help me to know what to say as well in a way they are able to receive from me. Let Your Word be a lamp to their feet and a light to their path, revealing the depth of Your love for them. Break down any barriers or misconceptions or lies that stand between them and the knowledge of Your saving grace.
Lord, give me the strength and courage to be a consistent, loving witness to them. Help me to show them Your love through my actions and words. I trust in Your perfect timing and Your infinite wisdom. May Your will be done in their lives, and may they come to know the joy and peace that only You can provide. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray, amen.
Then think of what you could say to tangibly share the love of God with them. Everyone struggles with the God issue for a different reason. Have you ever asked about their past to find out why they feel the way they do about God? Some have had church hurt, some have experienced abuse in religion, some turned from the hypocrisy they saw or perceived, some just don’t want to leave the life they lead and they’re afraid that saying yes to Jesus will require more than they want to give. It’s because they don’t know the significant value of being friends and coheirs with Him.
As my friend Leif Hetland says, “We don’t have a darkness problem; we have a lack of light problem”. They need to see the light, and no matter how much darkness is in a space, it simply cannot win when light comes in the room. There is no darkness that can overcome the light. And you are the one with Light inside of you so bring yourself into the room!
Maybe you tell your parent that God in heaven is not like the people they know, that He loves them regardless of what they’ve done or not done, and He really wants a relationship with them. Most of the time, telling them they need to do more, go to church or be different won’t feel inviting, but it’s the spirit of the Lord who draws their heart, so pray consistently that He will find many opportunities to do just that. I have the Bible app on my iPad, and it’s set to remind me to take a moment to pray at 10pm each night, when I’m usually reading a book in bed. I always take that opportunity to pray for the salvation, protection, and healing of my family members. Maybe you can give yourself a reminder too.
If you have a difficult relationship and don’t find it easy to bless them:
I come before You honestly today with a heart that is struggling to love and honor my parents as You have shown me to do. Despite my personal feelings, I seek Your guidance and strength to bless them in ways that only You can provide. Your Word teaches in Ephesians 6:2-3 to, "Honor my father and mother”— which is the first commandment with a promise attached —"so that it may go well with me and that I may enjoy long life on the earth."
Lord, help me to honor them, even when it is difficult, and to trust in Your promises. I ask that You pour out Your blessings upon my parents. May they experience Your love, grace, and mercy in their lives. Grant them good health, peace, and joy. I pray a blessing straight from Your Word over them, "Mom/Dad, may the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26)
God, may Your face shine upon them, and may they feel Your presence in their lives. Father, soften my heart and help me to see them through Your eyes. Give me the patience and understanding to navigate our relationship with compassion and respect. Teach me to forgive and let go of any bitterness that resides within me. I pray for Your healing to manifest in my heart and life as well so that my relationship with my parents can find a measure of restoration. In Jesus' name, Amen.
I know it’s hard, but even if you’re struggling to bless your mom or dad or both, maybe it’s someone who’s like a parent, whether a step-parent or spiritual or an in-law, I encourage you just to start with prayer. That’s where the turning of hearts begins, in conversation and relationship with Jesus. Keep it simple, don’t blame or shame them or yourself, just lean in and let Jesus guide you. Even your tears are prayers and your hurt is known. He will walk with you, and He will coach you on how to pray and how to lead yourself well when circumstances and other people are out of your control.
I bless you to be an amazing son or daughter today. Right where you are, you are 100% worthy of love, security, care, and peace. You deserve attention and affection, and your parents may not have had much to give but they likely gave their best, and it wasn’t enough. None of us had perfect parents. Because the truth is, our parents, no matter how hard they tried, no matter how well they showed up for us, they are not our all in all. We have to shift our paradigm to putting our hope and expectancy in our Father in heaven. He is truly the only parent who will never fail us, will never leave us, and will always love us unconditionally. You’re no longer an orphan and you’re not a slave. If you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you’re a friend and a son or daughter. So, find your identity there instead of waiting for imperfect, finite parents to fulfill your expectations.
Have a great day friend!
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