Prayer
Louise Duval
MA, LPC, LAC, CAC
8/5/2024
Did you know that prayer is your most potent and essential parenting tool? In Hebrews 4:16, we are invited to come boldly into the throne room of Heaven, and we can have confidence that God will hear and answer our prayers. If we have access to the Sovereign, Creator of the Universe, and He loves us so much He invites us to come, why would we not want to go to Him with anything, especially our children? Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him.” Our children do not belong to us, they are given to us by the Lord and we are to be good stewards of them so shouldn’t we come to Him for help as we parent?
One thing I have thought about before is if God is in control of all things and we know that ultimately, His will be done in our lives, our kids’ lives, and in this world, why is prayer so important? It doesn’t seem like it would change the outcome of anything. However, I have learned that prayer is vital because it changes us, increases our faith, and gives us peace.
As you pray, God works in your heart, and you become more aware of Him and His work in the world. If you do not take the time to pray, you may miss instructions God is trying to give you that will help you be a better parent. God wants to use us in our children’s lives, but if we are not listening to Him, we may miss out on how He wants to use us. God also changes our hearts and our perspective as we pray. When you come to God with a prayer request, you may realize over time as you pray that what you are praying for is not actually what you want. God may be showing you that He will answer that prayer request with a “No” or “Wait” because that is what is best; when you are focused on Him, He changes what you want to what He wants and helps us accept His will as best. If you are not spending time in prayer, His will often seems wrong to us, and sometimes, we begin to doubt whether God loves us or our kids.
Prayer also changes our feelings. As my children have grown, I realize that I have less and less control over them and their choices, which leads to a lot of anxiety. However, prayer reminds me that I can trust the Lord to be with them when I can’t; I can trust that the Lord loves them more than I do and that He is working in their lives, just as He is working in mine. Prayer reminds me of that; as I focus on that, I can experience the peace of God. This is what is spoken of in one of my favorite verses: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Prayer also increases our faith. Your faith is increased when you pray about something and see it happen according to God’s will and in His time. It is great to realize that you are now living what was once a prayer request! As you see Him answer your requests repeatedly, you can trust Him more and more!
If you are a mom, you know the first day of school is coming up, which is a great time to pray for your children. I want to invite you to attend DayOne. It is a prayer gathering that is happening at the Icehouse Amphitheater on August 7th (the first day of school in the Lexington 1 school district) at 9:00 am. On that day, we will meet to worship and pray for the students, teachers, and schools as they begin the new school year. This is for any female caregiver (moms, grandmothers, aunts, etc.), and it is for public schools, private schools, homeschools, or charter schools.
Whether you attend the event or not, I hope you will spend some time praying. God is waiting for you, and He would love to spend some time with you. Go to Him with whatever is on your heart or mind, and see how the power of prayer can change your life!