In 1 Timothy, Paul urges us to pray for everyone, and that includes our parents. We all have different experiences of parents and family. Not all our experiences are good, but we should still pray for those who have brought us up. Here’s a prayer for our parents: ‘God, thank You for my parents. Thank You for placing me in this family. Thank You for their provision, and for the things they have taught me. Please give them Your wisdom and help them make godly decisions. Show them Your purpose for their lives and give them the courage to step into it. Thank You for loving them. Please help them feel Your peace, joy, and love today. Where they have made mistakes, I pray You would show them how to live differently. And when those mistakes have hurt me, please help me to work through the process of forgiveness. Please bless them. In Jesus’ name, amen.’ If we’re struggling with our relationship with our parents, this can be a challenging prayer to pray. But whatever has happened, we need to forgive. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we necessarily trust the person again, or put ourselves in situations where we could get hurt, but it sets us free from the bitterness and resentment which we hold onto. If we don’t feel like we can pray for our parents today, let’s pray for those around us who have encouraged us and supported us through our lives so far. Let’s pray for our leaders, teachers, and friends – and ask God to bless them.

What Now?

If you feel comfortable about it, pray the prayer in today’s reading.