6 Ways to Pray for Our Families

Pray like you mean it, pray as you believe it, pray as they need it.

As men we have an outstanding opportunity to lead our families by our prayer life. There are some simple steps we can take to not only pray for but bless our family during our daily walk.
1.)
Pray first thing in the morning – Take the moments while the house is silent and no one else is awake.  Take a walk or get on your knees and thank God for the blessings in your life and to protect your family throughout the day as you are apart.
2.)
Commute your way prayerfully – Whether you drive, carpool, ride the bus or walk to work you can talk to God along the way.  Talk to him like he is there with you (because he is) have a conversation.  Confess your weaknesses and pray for his blessing over your family. What better time to pray than when we are challenged the most in the rush hour traffic of our day.

3.)
Take moments to breathe and pray – We tend to get busy with our work that everything else starts to slip.  We owe it to ourselves to keep our eyes on Christ throughout the day and focus prayerfully.  When we have a moment between a meeting or during your walk to the water cooler, pause and pray.  Be thankful for the job you have that provides for your family.
4.)
Pray to let it go – Have you ever brought your day home with you? Of course you have, everyone does it.  As you walk out of the office or off the job for the day, reflect. Reflect on what when right, pray for gratitude.  Reflect on what went wrong, pray to let it go, leave it there.  There is no need to bring home a bad mood, your family did not cause it, nor can they solve it. Pray before you walk in the door to we washed anew and be refreshed in your spirit, your family deserves it.
5.)
Say grace before meals – Take the opportunity to thank God for his blessings in the form of nourishment both physical and spiritual.  Pray together out loud before meals.  Pray before meals even when you are alone, what you do when you are by yourself will carry over into the rest of your life.
6.)
Give it all up at night – Before you lay your head down at night spend a few minutes and pray.  Ask for forgiveness for your moments of weakness during the day.  Pray thankfully for your family and all that went right.  Take a moment to ask for continued peace and blessings for tomorrow.

7.) (bonus yet most important)
Pray with her – This can sometimes be the most challenging and yet most rewarding of prayers. Whether at night before you go to bed, before a moment of stress or opportunity, those that pray together stay together. Show your wife that you are leading your family not only in your daily actions but also in your spiritual walk and prayer life.  A man who can pray over his family and talk to God aloud in more than a ritualized prayer obtains the healing power and grace of God’s hands over him and his family.

Whether you’re a family of two or twenty, no matter the size or dynamic, lead them in prayer.  As men willing to humble ourselves before our family we in turn will lead them with our Father’s blessing and provision.

Now it is your turn: What do you think? How do you pray? Are there other ways that men can pray for their families that you would like to share with others? Add your comments below:

Blessings,
CJ