Motherhood–in all its numerous dimensions–is a tough and often thankless role. Mothers give of themselves to their children and families, all the while feeling guilty for all the ways they feel they’ve fallen short. This Mother’s Day, let’s honor the mothers in our lives by praying over them with these three prayers for mothers.
The memory remains all too vivid. My kids were small and I lost my cool—throwing a fit like I was a defiant toddler myself. I stepped away feeling embarrassed, incompetent, and more than a little sad.
After a cooling down period, I fell to my knees in prayer before God who met me in my place of turmoil with tender mercy and love. Meeting with God in this frail moment opened my eyes to the prayer needs of every mom.
I felt a new-found resolve to begin honoring moms through prayer.
Navigating what seems like endless days cluttered with crumbs, toys, and unpleasant smells isn’t easy for a mom. Too often it translates to feelings of insecurity and an ache of exhaustion that penetrates to the bone.
We lie awake at night criticizing ourselves for every mistake. We worry, we regret, and we agonize; believing we’ll feel so much better when our kids are out of their current phase.
But such feelings don’t evaporate as our kids grow, they only become more intense.
We’re worn out, frazzled, and too often on the brink of eruption.
Whether they’re mothering infants, teens, career professionals, or young parents, every mom needs prayer. Armed with this new-to-me revelation, I pondered the lives of my mom friends—one with twins, numerous career women trying to balance it all, a few who longed for motherhood while facing infertility, and overcommitted sports moms of every variety.
Coming face-to-face with my own shortcomings helped me realize our collective need for prayer all the more.
While prayer is a bit mysterious, it is critically important. It has the power to move mountains. It’s a weapon God uses to position His people for victory.
A DAUGHTER’S PRAYERS FOR HER MOM
My heart felt heaviest for my own mother who continued to carry immense burdens as she aged. She was a hard-working business owner who’d experienced divorce, navigated the waters of a blended family, and laid a daughter to rest far too early.
The Holy Spirit was opening my eyes and I resolved to offer fervent prayers for my mom more regularly.
While the Holy Spirit revealed my need to pray, I wasn’t entirely sure how to pray, especially for my mom. She was in a much different season of life and, at the time, I couldn’t fully relate to what she faced every day.
She didn’t follow Jesus and wouldn’t be overly excited to hear I was praying for her, which meant asking her for prayer requests wasn’t much of an option either. I asked God to direct my steps and felt Him prompt me to focus my prayers in three specific areas: Her character, her healing and restoration, and her salvation.
1 | Prayers for Her Character
I began the prayer journey by looking to a trusted source of inspiration—God’s Word.
Proverbs 31 offers insight into the virtues of a wise mother.
This Biblical portrait provided helpful inspiration to me as I prayed for my mom. It prompted me to pray for areas where she was weak as well as strong, such as her commitment to family, her financial strength and business sense, and her involvement in the community. I thanked God for her love, comfort, and provision within our home.
2 | Prayers for Healing and Restoration
My mom suffered from a few chronic health issues. There were also some struggles with relationships that weighed her down. I frequently offered prayers for healing, restoration, and forgiveness.
Referring to Scriptures like 3 John 1:2 and Ephesians 3:29, I asked God to help her to wholly prosper in her health and find favor with friends and family members.
Another struggle my mom often faced involved anxiety and fear, so I prayed Isaiah 41:10 and Joshua 1:9 to offer support for her peace and strength. I asked God to help her feel safe and sense His help and nearness.
3 | Prayers for Salvation
When I imagined my mom spending eternity apart from Christ, it nearly tore my heart in two and the issue of her salvation was the heaviest burden I carried to the Lord.
When all was said and done, I prayed for her to know and follow Jesus for more than 30 years. More than once, I found I’d grown weary and complacent in my prayers, but God faithfully refueled the fire. I believe He heard each prayer, even in the countless moments when I could see no reason for hope.
In a beautiful and miraculous story shared in the Redeem issue of The Joyful Life Magazine, my mom finally surrendered her heart to Jesus just five days before she passed away. I continue to rejoice and praise God for His goodness.
HONORING MOMS THROUGH PRAYER
Life as a mom can sometimes feel impossible to navigate. But with the help of God and the support of prayer, lives can look different. Hearts can be made whole and burdens lifted. We can ask for—and then witness—the power of God’s promises being fulfilled.
Moms who receive fervent prayer have no need to fear missing out on all that God intends. Even if the blessings aren’t in view, we can know with confidence that they’re coming and might be just around the corner.
While prayer is a bit mysterious, it is critically important. It has the power to move mountains. It’s a weapon God uses to position His people for victory. Through fervent prayer, God will strengthen families, redeem our regrets, calm fears, and bring unparalleled freedom.
This Mother’s Day, may I encourage you to commit to honoring moms through prayer?
Choose the moms you connect with regularly, the moms within your family, and of course for your own needs as a mother. Each lovely woman who receives those prayers is sure to be blessed beyond words. It’s a gift that will last a lifetime and has the power to impact generations for Jesus.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).
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2 comments
The longer I have been a mom, the more I appreciate the prayers of others and the more I pray for the moms I know. What a privilege to be able to pray for one another. Sometimes we forget to pray for our moms, this was a beautiful reminder to do this.
Thank you, Theresa. I think we all forget to pray for moms sometimes. I’m happy you found the reminder to be a blessing and encourage you as you pray!