Five Not-to-Miss Verses to Pray for Your Kids This Year

 More on Praying My Kids Back to School

Here in Virginia we are starting our second week of school. One week down and many, many to go. While it is still on my mind, I want to continue to share some great verses for praying our kids back to school. Remember that these are just a few of many Scripture verses that can help us pray for our children.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Proverbs 26:11

• You may not be familiar with this little gem, tucked away in Proverbs 26. Though rather graphic in imagery, this wise saying refers to our tendency to keep repeating the same foolishness again and again. In other words, we can be slow to learn from our mistakes.
• Pray that God would bless our children with both the desire and the wisdom to learn from their mistakes and foolishness. Self-awareness of their own folly is far more effective than the lecturing or nagging of a parent.

For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.

Psalm 71:5

•  Let’s pray that kids will trust God and put their confidence in Him. Oh the mental/spiritual/emotion angst they can save if they have a confident trust in God.
• It is easy to get overly focused on the importance of building self-confidence in our kids. I am not implying that self-confidence is bad, or unnecessary, but developing God-confidence will bring them through many challenges that self-confidence cannot touch. In addition to praying for God-confidence for my kids, I am asking God to give me wisdom and diligence to encourage them with both my words and my example.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men…

Colossians 3:23

• Pray that our kids develop God-focused motivation in their work, as well as develop strong work habits. This verse is talking about putting your heart into what you do, seeking to honor God.
• Pray that our kids develop the self-discipline to do the things that they don’t always want to do–homework, dish washing, homework, room cleaning, more homework… (without whining and complaining). I better pray that one for me too!

There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18

• This one is pretty simple: pray that our kids would develop wisdom and thoughtfulness in their speech. Middle and high school years can be filled with emotional drama that often stems from thoughtless or hurtful words.
• Let’s take this one step farther: Pray that our kids would go the extra mile to speak words of healing and encouragement to others.

Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Proverbs 25:28

• Who doesn’t struggle with self-control at times? Pray that our children would develop Spirit-given self-control.
• Self-control is such a handy character trait. Truly it is hard to choose the best thing or to do the necessary thing without it. Here again–I better add myself to the list on this one.