4 Important Family Prayers to Start Praying Today
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If you add up all the prayers we pray in our lives, most of them would be family prayers.
Between parents, children, grandparents, siblings, and other extended family members, we could spend an hour at least every day just praying for our family members.
We want the best for them, but our human limitations mean we can’t always give them the best. Our families have needs that we alone cannot meet. But we can take our families’ needs to Christ, and trust Him with them through family prayer.
Each member of our family has different needs, but here are a few important things that should be included in prayer for family, along with some encouragement from Scripture.
Prayers for Family
1. Prayer for Family Salvation
Of all the prayers for family, salvation is the most important one. Everything that happens in a lost person’s life, is meant to draw them to accept Christ.
We should pray that they will see God drawing them to Him, and accept His gift of salvation.
We know that God’s desire is for all people to be saved including our family. We cannot force a family member into salvation, and God will not either.
But, we can pray that He will deal with their hearts, and they will see a need for Him.
These Bible Verses about salvation should encourage us to pray for our family members. These Bible Verses come from the NKJV.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Family Prayer for Salvation:
“Lord, I know that you said it is Your will for all people to come to repentance. I pray today for my family member who doesn’t know You. I ask you to reveal Your love and mercy in their heart. Lead them to repentance in You, and save their soul.”
2. Family Prayer for Good Health
When a loved one faces a health crisis, it is our desire to come to their rescue. We want to swoop in and make it all better. But in many cases, that just isn’t possible.
It is beyond our ability to heal sickness. But Jesus is the One Who can, and we can pray and bring our families’ health concerns directly to Jesus.
We read many, many accounts in Scripture of Jesus healing the sick, lame, blind, and deaf. And while we don’t often see miracles like that in our day, all healing comes from Him.
He often chooses to heal through doctors and medicine, but ultimately, He is the true healer. Praying for our families health will be heard by Him.
These Bible Verses about sickness and healing are a great reminder of the mighty healer Jesus truly is.
“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16
Prayer for Family Health Issues:
“Father, my family member is sick and suffering right now. I am helpless to bring relief. I pray that you will offer comfort and healing. I pray that whatever You choose to do will bring You honor and glory.”
3. Family Prayer for God’s Will to be Done
I wish I could say that we always know God’s plan. But the truth is, we cannot see His will. He is always working and moving in ways we cannot understand.
When a family member is struggling or suffering heartache, we do everything in our power to make it better. But sometimes it is God’s will for us to suffer.
Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want, because God is working on a bigger plan that we can’t see yet.
In this case, it is best for us to step away, and let Him do His work. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray for a situation. Instead, we should pray for His will for our family. Pray for His grace as they wait for His plan to be revealed.
These Bible Verses about God’s Will remind us that God is completely in control of our lives and the best thing we can do for our family is to pray for their protection.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Prayer for Family when a Family Member is Struggling:
“Lord, my family member is really going through a hard time right now. I don’t understand your purpose. But I know that You have a plan that is better than our plans. I ask that you will give grace to my family members. Give them strength for the battles they are fighting. Reveal Your purpose and plan in their life.”
4. Family Prayer for Reconciliation
No one loves you like your family. And no one can hurt you like your family, either. It’s the people we love the most who have the most power to hurt us.
Hurt happens in families. It’s inevitable. Sometimes a family member hurts us, and we need to find forgiveness in our hearts. But at other times, we cause hurt.
In that case, we need to pray for a heart that is willing to ask for forgiveness. Most of us probably know of a family where some members won’t speak to one another. It’s so heartbreaking to see families torn apart this way.
But the truth is, it can happen in any of our families if we aren’t willing to do the hard work of reconciliation when hurt happens.
These Bible Verses about reconciliation and forgiveness teach us that we need to forgive others so our father forgives us.
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” Matthew 5:44
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25-26
Prayer for Family Reconciliation:
“Lord, my family is divided and I pray that you can reconcile them. I ask that you give them the wisdom to see past the battle they are facing. Family is so important and I know you love every single one of us. I know your plan isn’t division so I ask that you will clear up the hurt that has happened and bring us back together.”
Never Stop Praying for Family
Each of us has a unique family in different situations and dynamics. These family prayers barely touch the surface of things we can pray for our family members.
But I hope you’ve found a starting place here. Know that whatever your family’s needs are, when you take them to God, He hears You.
He is always working the best behind the scenes, even if you can’t see it. Never give up, and never stop praying for your family.
Lyndsie is a Christian, wife, and stay-at-home mom to two boys. When she has free time, you can find her reading a good book, sewing a quilt, or baking something sweet. She blogs about life, faith, and motherhood at Not Just a Stay-at-Home Mom.
