In the spiritual battle for our hearts and minds it is especially important to bring our children before God daily. As parents we long for our children’s hearts to be connected to God and His ways more than anything else. When our kids make poor decisions that separate them from that relationship with God it breaks our hearts in ways little else can. When our children suffer, we suffer too. These verses apply to wayward kids as well as adult children, because God is willing that everyone should be saved!
God understands this anguish because He feels the same way about us. He longs for a meaningful relationship with us, and when we make choices that turn us away from the path of righteousness it breaks His heart. Take a look at Isaiah 48 to see how God agonized over His obstinate, and often wayward people, Israel.
“For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.”
Isaiah 48:11
Even though His chosen people were rejecting Him, God was still determined to work things out so that they would see His ways were best, and that He really did love them. I love the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah because even though there are judgements spoken, they are always followed by the call to repentance and reconciliation. Time and time again. Without let-up.
With that in mind, here are several of my favorite verses to pray for kids who are struggling with the temptations of this world, and having a tough time staying committed to God’s ways.
"But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." -Isaiah 49:25
"Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth."
-Isaiah 43:5-6
"And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. "
-Jeremiah 23:3-4
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."
-Isaiah 43:19
"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." -Jeremiah 17:7-8
I pray these verses are a blessing to you as you pray for your children whether they are toddlers or adults. I’d like to leave you with one final verse that brings me a lot of comfort when praying for my kids in tough situations. When we pray according to God’s will (and I believe from the verses I’ve shared in this article that it is God’s will that our children be saved), He makes this promise:
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making It bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Emphasis added)
-Isaiah 55:10-11
That’s the amazing God we serve!