You rock your baby boy to sleep, sipping on twice-reheated coffee while observing the messy living room. When your beloved son is just a baby, it’s easy to see the unlimited potential. But then, reality sets in. As your son’s mom, you have more influence on his faith than anyone else in his life. This is both exciting and a little daunting. How can you, as a woman, raise your son to be a godly man, even if you’re a single mom?
You want godly sons who know that the best way to a happy life is to follow God, but what’s the best way to get from the moments of tucking your sweet baby boy into bed to a man who trusts Jesus Christ with his own life? The answer is surprisingly easy: One of the most powerful and effective things you can do is to pray for your son, and pray for YOU.
Wait, isn’t this an article about praying for my son? Why would I pray for myself?
1. May you be a mom who trusts in God
As moms, we need to pray for ourselves because this job is so hard! We need to remember to depend on the Holy Spirit in parenting, not just try to do it in our own strength and ask God to pick up the slack. The best thing you can do for your son is to pray for his mother. When the newborn nights feel unending and your own peace lies somewhere at the bottom of a toy bin, the best thing you can do for your son is to learn to rely on the presence of God for your own peace, love, and joy.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV) God’s word has a great way of reminding us that we aren’t all-knowing beings…only God knows our sons inside and out!
Our first prayer today is one for yourself, as your son’s mom:
Dear Lord, we come before You as mothers seeking Your guidance and wisdom in raising our sons. May our prayers be a powerful force in shaping their lives according to Your will. Holy Spirit, guide us as we parent our sons. May we depend on You for wisdom, discernment, and strength in every aspect of their lives. Holy Spirit, grant us the sensitivity to discern Your voice as we guide and nurture our sons. Help us to be vessels of Your love and wisdom.
2. May he depend on the Holy Spirit
Just as relying on the Holy Spirit is critical to our parenting, we want our sons to rely on the Holy Spirit for their lives as well! In fact, if they’ve learned to trust God and rely on the Holy Spirit for their strength and in the decisions they make even during a difficult time, they’re on a great track for a life of loving God and loving others. James 1:5 reminds us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NIV) When he trusts God to lead him, your son’s life will reflect the love and character of God in beautiful ways.
*I’ve written all these prayers as collective prayers (referring to “our sons” instead of “my son”) because I believe it’s important to know that we’re both praying these prayers over our boys. You can, of course, individualize them.*
Prayer for your son:
Dear heavenly Father, we surrender our sons to the leading of the Holy Spirit. May His guidance be evident in every decision and step they take.
Prayer for moms:
Lord, grant us the wisdom to parent our sons with love and discernment. Help us to see them through Your eyes and guide them on the path You have set for them.
3. May he trust in God’s love for his identity
God’s love for his children is unconditional. Romans 8:38-39 tells us “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)
We can pray that our children base their identity on who they are in Christ, not in the things of this world. God’s unconditional love is the best place to base our identity.
Prayer for your son:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your boundless love. May our sons grasp the depth of Your love for them, providing a firm foundation for their identity.
Prayer for moms:
Lord, help us to model Your love for our sons, teaching them to find their worth in You and not in the opinions of others. Sovereign God, we trust Your plan for our sons. May they find security and purpose in knowing that You hold their future in Your hands.
4. May he grow as a young man
I love to pray Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (NIV) over my sons, especially in the past year as they’ve hit the preteen and teen years: I simply ask that God help them grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. By God’s grace, as my young boys turn to teens, I’ve seen God answer this prayer in beautiful ways. As my boys move into high school and beyond, I will continue to pray this verse over them.
A prayer for your son:
Dear God, nurture our sons’ physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. May they grow in stature and wisdom, becoming strong and resilient young men. Lord, instill in our sons virtues like kindness, patience, and humility. May they reflect Your character in their interactions with others. Please open doors for our sons to grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. May each challenge be an opportunity for them to become more like You.
5. May God help him through troubled times
Psalm 34:17 says “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” We can pray for resilience and strength during challenging moments, that they would learn to trust God’s presence, provision and comfort in times of adversity, and that God would give them the grace to navigate difficulties with faith.
A prayer for our sons:
Lord, be a source of strength for our sons in times of adversity. May they face challenges with courage and find comfort in Your presence. Provider God, we trust in Your provision during difficult times. Comfort our sons and help them see Your hand at work in every situation. Faithful God, grant our sons the grace to navigate difficulties with unwavering faith. May they find solace in knowing You are with them.
6. May he have a clean heart
In Psalm 51:10, David pours out his heart to God, saying “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NIV) We can pray for purity of heart and mind for sons, ask for God’s forgiveness and cleansing from any impurity, and pray that they grow a desire for righteousness and holiness.
A prayer for our sons:
Holy Father, create in our sons a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within them. May their thoughts be pure and focused on things that honor You. Merciful God, forgive our sons of any impurity. Wash them clean and empower them to walk in righteousness. Righteous God, instill in our sons a desire for righteousness and holiness. May they seek after You with a wholehearted devotion.
7. May he avoid negative influences
1 Corinthians 15:33 reminds of something moms intuitively know: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'” Let’s pray for discernment to recognize and avoid harmful influences, and seek God’s protection from negative peer pressure. We can also ask God to give our boys a desire for positive and uplifting relationships, and the good friends they choose to spend time with would be a good example.
Prayer for our sons:
Discerning God, grant our sons the wisdom to recognize negative influences. Protect them from harm and guide them toward positive relationships. Shielding God, protect our sons from negative peer pressure. Give them the courage to stand firm in their convictions. Heavenly Father, lead our sons to positive and uplifting friendships. May their relationships encourage growth and reflect Your love.
8. May he become a godly man
Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (NIV)
We can pray for the development of godly character in sons, asking for virtues such as humility, kindness, and patience. We can also pray for a strong relationship between our sons and God. We can also actively help our sons grow in the fruit of the Spirit through this fantastic devotional book:
A prayer for our sons:
Lord, mold our sons into godly men. May they embody the fruits of the Spirit and live lives that glorify You. God of Virtue, cultivate in our sons virtues like humility, kindness, and patience. May they be a light in the world. Abba Father, draw our sons into a deep and personal relationship with You. May they seek Your guidance in every aspect of their lives.
9. May he understand and trust the Word of God
Psalm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (NIV) Let’s pray that our boys would grow a love and understanding of Scripture and that our sons would be given wisdom to apply biblical principles in daily life.
A prayer for our sons:
Word of Life, ignite in our sons a love for Your Word. May they find guidance, comfort, and wisdom within its pages. Wise God, grant our sons the wisdom to apply Your principles in their daily lives. May they walk in obedience to Your Word. Almighty God, we trust in the transformative power of Your Word. May it shape our sons’ minds and hearts according to Your will.
10. May he make wise choices
Proverbs 16:9 says “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Let’s pray for our sons to make decisions aligned with God’s will, and that they would seek wisdom and discernment in choices related to education, career, and relationships. As they grow up and go on new adventures, may they learn to seek God’s help to make good decisions.
Prayer for our sons:
Sovereign God, guide our sons in making decisions aligned with Your will. May they seek Your counsel in every choice they face. God of Wisdom, grant our sons discernment in educational pursuits, career choices, and relationships. May they choose paths that honor You. Divine Guide, we trust You to guide our sons’ paths. May they walk in the confidence that their steps are ordered by You.
11. May he have the right attitude
Having a good attitude comes from a positive inner thought-life. Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)
Of course, this isn’t easy or natural! We can pray for our boys to have a positive and Christ-like attitude in all circumstances. Let’s ask God to give our boys a grateful and humble heart, and that they would seek the Holy Spirit’s help in cultivating the right mindset.
Prayer for our sons:
Prince of Peace, grant our sons a positive and Christ-like attitude in all circumstances. Humble Savior, cultivate in our sons a grateful and humble heart. May they acknowledge Your blessings with gratitude. Holy Spirit, help our sons cultivate the right mindset. Fill them with Your joy and guide them in developing a Christ-like attitude.
12. May he find men who are good examples
Proverbs 13:20 reminds us of the power of our companions in life: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (NIV) I often pray that my boys will have positive role models and mentors. Let’s ask God to surround our boys with influential figures who embody Christian values and that our boys would make connections with strong male figures in the faith community.
Gracious God, provide our sons with positive role models and mentors. May they learn valuable lessons from those who follow You faithfully. Lord of Relationships, surround our sons with influential figures who embody Christian values. May these relationships shape their character. Please guide our sons to strong male figures within the faith community. May they find support and encouragement in these connections.
13. May he honor God with his social life
1 Timothy 4:12 reminds all of us of this important truth: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Let’s pray for our sons to choose friends who uplift and inspire them, that they would seek God’s guidance in social interactions and relationships, and that would give them a desire to be a positive influence in their social circles.
A prayer for our sons:
Lord, guide our sons in choosing friends who uplift and inspire. May their social circles reflect Your love and values. Shepherd of Souls, lead our sons in their social interactions. May they be a positive influence and share Your love with others. Lord, instill in our sons a desire to be a positive influence in their social circles. May they reflect Your light in all their relationships.
14. May he trust in God’s good purposes for him
Jeremiah 29:11 was spoken to the Israelites when they were in exile, far from their promised land. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Even in the middle of the pain of exile, God wanted them to know that he had a plan and a purpose for their lives.
As moms, we can pray for clear direction and purpose in sons’ lives, that God would guide them in career choices and life goals.
Prayer for our sons:
God of Purpose, reveal to our sons a clear direction and purpose for their lives. May they walk confidently on the path You have set before them. Lord, guide our sons in their career choices and life goals. May they find fulfillment in pursuing the purpose You have ordained for them. Almighty God, we trust Your plan for our sons’ future. May they find peace in knowing that You hold their destinies in Your hands.
15. May he have a right spirit and a pure heart
King David is a great example of someone with a heart for you. Psalm 51:17 – “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (NIV) Let’s pray for our sons to have a heart aligned with God’s will and that God would shape their character to reflect Christ.
Prayer for our sons:
God of David, inspire in our sons a heart like King David’s—a heart that seeks after You with passion and humility. Lord, align our sons’ hearts with Your will. May they seek righteousness and pursue a relationship with You wholeheartedly. Transforming God, mold our sons into vessels of Your grace and love. May they reflect Your character in all they do.
Final Thoughts
Brooke McGLothlin from Million Praying Moms often says that “prayer is one of the most important parts of Christian parenting. Sadly, it’s also one of the most overlooked.” Because God really does listen to prayers and change things as a result, we have the privilege of shaping our son’s lives through prayer.
Continue praying, and continue trusting God’s good plans for your son.
Let’s pray together one last time:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of partnering with You in the upbringing of our sons. May You continue to be a source of strength, guidance, and transformation in their lives. We entrust our sons into Your loving hands. Continue to guide and protect them, shaping them into the men You have called them to be. May our prayers be a constant source of connection with You, and may Your blessings be upon our sons as they walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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