5 POWERFUL WAYS TO PRAY FOR YOUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN

Among the many ways, we can show love and care for our young adult children, praying for them is one of our most powerful and effective tools. Much of our day-to-day influence lessens as our children grow, leave the nest, and begin their lives, but that does not mean we cannot significantly impact their lives. Discover five practical and purposeful ways you can pray for your young adult children that will change their life and yours.

WHY PRAY FOR OUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN?

I started a bedtime ritual a few years ago as my children began leaving the nest. As I climb into bed and close my eyes, I try to picture each of my children in their beds…wherever they are. I have even been crazy enough to ask them to send me pictures of their bedrooms, so I can have a mental picture in my mind as I think of them.

Now, I am not naive enough to think that they are all safely tucked into their beds when I am (my bedtime is probably a few hours before theirs!), nor do I call or text to make sure, but it gives me some measure of comfort to think about and pray for them at the end of each day. No longer can I kneel with them as I did for so many years and say nighttime prayers together, but I can and still do pray for them wherever they are.

Why should praying for our young adult children be a priority?

Our roles as parents change as our children grow and mature. They must. For most of their formative years, we assume the “sage on the stage” role, managing almost every detail of their lives. As they grow and mature, we need to become more of a “guide on the side,” offering support while giving them the freedom to make (and learn from!) their own choices.

It is a fine line to walk.

• We want to help, not enable.
• We need to care, not control.
• We offer to listen, not lecture.
• We should be interested, not intertwined.

We desire to stay connected and involved in their lives and are still concerned about their friendships, careers, mental and physical health, relationships, financial stability, spiritual growth, and much more.

So, what do we do?

PRAY.

When we fall on our knees, offering up our young adult children to the One who knows and loves them far better than we ever could, we invite God to intervene in their lives for their good and His glory.

HOW TO OFFER OUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN TO GOD IN PRAYER

Ruth Bell Graham’s wisdom and poetry have been instrumental in encouraging me to wait on God for my children. I often use her poem, “I Bring Those Whom I Love,” when praying for them. Her words express the struggle parents have of wanting to commit our young adult children to God’s care…and then carrying them away again. She reminds us of the powerful truth that the safest place for our children to be is in the loving arms of their heavenly Father.

I bring those whom I love

to You,

commit each to

Your loving care:

then carry them away again

nor leave them there:

forgetting You

Who lived to die

(and rose again!)

care more than I.

So back I come

with heart’s load,

confessing

my lack of faith

in You alone,

addressing

all I cannot understand

to You

Who do.

You know each heart,

each hidden wound,

each scar,

each one who played a part

in making those

we bring to You

the ones they are

(and dearer each to You

than us, by far),

So–

now I give them

to Your loving care,

with thankful heart,,,,,

–and leave them there.

Ruth Bell Graham, Prodigals and Those Who Love Them: Words of Encouragement for Those Who Wait

FREE PRINTABLE PRAYER FOR YOUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN

5 POWERFUL WAYS TO PRAY FOR OUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN

1) Pray for PROTECTION

Prayers for protection make the list of almost every parent. Of course, we want our children to be safe from physical harm, but we also need to pray for God to protect them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Our young adult children are bombarded daily with evil, temptation, and doubt. The Enemy is waging an all-out assault on their very souls, so our prayers for protection must cover every aspect of their lives.

• Pray that we can fully trust God to protect our children.
• Pray that the Lord will guard their hearts, minds, & souls.
• Pray that they will turn to God for refuge, strength, & deliverance.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.“

Psalm 121: 7-8 (NLT)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.‘

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.“

Psalm 91: 1-4 (ESV)

2) Pray for PROVISION

As parents, we want to give our children everything they need…and often more than they need! When they leave our homes, we need to step away from meeting all of their needs and entrust them to God’s care.

Our prayers for provision should move beyond physical needs to ask God to provide them with healthy relationships, fulfilling careers, strong communities, wisdom, support, and love.

• Pray that we can let go of trying to meet all of our young adult children’s needs.
• Pray that God will provide for them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
• Pray that they turn to and trust the Lord to provide for them.

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.“

Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

    the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

    from those who walk uprightly.“

Psalm 84:11 (ESV)

3) Pray for PURPOSE & PERSPECTIVE

To guide our young adult children, we must direct them to seek God’s purpose and plan for their lives. Although we may have our thoughts and opinions on which way they should go, the Bible is clear in admonishing us to “Train up a child in the way he/she should go” (Proverbs 22:6), an important distinction that we often overlook.

We need to pray that our young adult children seek God’s wisdom and guidance first—that they listen to His voice and follow the path He has set for them.

• Pray that we can encourage our children to follow God…even before us!
• Pray that the Lord will guide them to a life of meaning and purpose.
• Pray that they will choose God’s path over worldly pursuits.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

    and do not lean on your own understanding.

 In all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make straight your paths.“

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.“

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

4) Pray for PURITY OF HEART

This world encourages our young adult children to indulge their appetites and desires (for sex, food, alcohol, pleasure, & comfort) to excess. The Enemy loves to overpromise and underdeliver, causing our children to chase after things that will lead to harm and emptiness.

Our prayers should focus on asking God to give our children a spirit of humility, self-control, and repentance—that they would have a pure (not perfect!) heart to seek God’s beauty and allow Him to satisfy their deepest longings.

• Pray that we would be honest with our children about our struggles.
• Pray that God would provide a way out when our children are tempted.
• Pray that they find all they long for in being loved by God.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.“

Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV)

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…

Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)

5) Pray for PEACE

When we pray for peace for our adult children, we want them to experience peace with God, peace with others, and peace with themselves.

Peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict but a secure hope and confidence in God despite their feelings and circumstances.

• Pray that we add to our children’s peace by always offering them safety and security.
• Pray that the Lord will grant them peace that passes all understanding despite life’s difficulties.
• Pray that they make peace with God first through a relationship with Jesus.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

You will keep in perfect peace

    all who trust in you,

    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Trust in the Lord always,

    for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.“

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)

LET’S PRAY FOR OUR YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN TOGETHER

Another helpful thing we can do while we learn to pray for our young adult children is to encourage and support each other. And that is what we do here AT THE CROSSROADS! Entrusting our children to God’s care is not always easy and takes consistent practice, so I invite you to use this as a space to ask questions, seek godly counsel, and share your struggles.

Please consider joining me here if you want a place to experience encouragement and accountability. Sign up by filling out the form below, and you will receive weekly blog posts, monthly newsletters, free faith resources, and more!

If this post spoke to you in any way, would you mind leaving a comment, sharing it on social media, or even letting a friend know? I also want this to be an interactive community where we learn and grow together, so if you have a prayer tool that has helped you pray for your children, please share it in the comments below.

My heart is to help as many people connect faith and life in practical, purposeful, and powerful ways. And I would love to have you along for the journey!