How to Pray for Our Families

It’s been said that we can pray for others, but we can’t do others’ praying for them! God in his sovereignty has called each one of us into roles within the family. Whether you’re a husband/wife, son/daughter, father/mother, uncle/aunt, etc., we’ve all been called into a family! We ought to pray for our families broadly, for unsaved family members, for healing of illnesses and the like, but don’t miss out on praying to God to use you mightily within the family He’s placed you.

Pray for strong marriages and families. The family is the basic building block of society, so it is also the backbone of Christ’s church. Without strong marriages and families, there will not be a strong church. It is no accident that Paul related in Eph 5:22 – 6:4 that the marital relationship between husband and wife conveys the church’s message to the world of Christ’s love for his church!

Below, you’ll find a few questions to guide you as we pray for our families. Please don’t feel restricted by these. Instead, allow them to guide you into deeper communion with the Holy Spirit as He leads in prayer.

• Are you grateful for the family you’ve been placed in, good times, bad times, or otherwise? Pray for a heart of joy and gratitude for the family God placed you in.
• Do you want to see your family walk in God’s identity and purpose for them? Pray for multi-generational blessing (Numbers 6, Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 128).
• Are there areas of familial brokenness that you think may be God’s will to heal? Pray for peace and healing in your family and the families around you (Psalm 122, Galatians 6).
• Are there people in your family who have wandered away from your natural family or the family of God? Pray for the return of prodigals (Proverbs 22, Luke 15).
• Did this past holiday season reveal any ways God might’ve gotten your attention for how He might want to use you to further His purposes in your family? Pray for the boldness and humility to respond in the Spirit. (Acts 4, Philippians 2)