Today is the feast of Saint Monica, a patron saint for mothers who care for, worry about and pray for their children - especially those who are troubled and have drifted away from the faith. The five prayers below were written by Theresa Ceniccola. (These texts can be easily adapted for dads to pray, too!)
A Prayer for Mothers Who Need Rest
Being a mom can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Just when you think you can’t take another minute, something else comes along that requires your energy and effort. But the good news—the truth—is that you can find rest in the Lord.
Lord, I come to you today, humble and exhausted, and ask that you carry my burdens. I pray that you lift my weary spirit and fill me with your love and peace so that I may be restored and renewed in body and mind. Lord, pour your heavenly nourishment into my soul and give me the energy to sustain myself in my role as a mother.
A Prayer for the Anxious Mom
With the birth of my first child, I developed an overwhelming capacity to worry. Through the years, this tendency toward anxiety intensified with each new season of motherhood. The more I worried, the more time I needed to spend in prayer. If you are an anxious mother, like me, turn to this prayer in times of need.
Lord, I trust in you and lean on you. I thank you for your mercy and provision for me and my family. I come to you again and ask that your will be done in this situation we are currently facing. Guard my heart and my mind and keep me focused on your will. Lord, please send your Holy Spirit to breathe your peace into my soul and walk with me on this journey.
A Prayer for Patience
Our work as moms can seem long and tedious. If you’ve ever had to repeat yourself 10 times a day, you know how frustrating our jobs can be. Children don’t mature overnight and we don’t often see God’s plan for them all at once. This is why I pray for patience with the following words:
Dear Lord, I know you have a plan for my child and I thank you and praise you for allowing me the gift of being his/her mother. I am frustrated because I want to see the fruits of my labor, Lord. Please give me the patience to continue being obedient to your word in raising my child. Teach me to wait in hope and confidence for you to make your will known in your time.
A Prayer for Wisdom
As a new mom, I wanted to learn as much as I could. Unfortunately, all of the conflicting parenting advice can be confusing and overwhelming. Only God can provide the wisdom we truly need as mothers. If you’re feeling confused about what to do next, ask for wisdom with this prayer:
Lord, please give me the wisdom to make decisions according to your will. Send me your vision in this situation—and make it plain so that I will see it. And please show me how to teach my child to make wise decisions so that he/she may also choose the path that is pleasing to you.
A Prayer for Grace
I don’t know about you, but I often feel completely inadequate as a mom. Too much of my focus is on my own weaknesses and mistakes. I get overwhelmed with the massive tasks and enormous responsibility of motherhood. So this is how I pray for God’s grace in those times:
Lord, please fill me with your grace so that I may be restored and renewed in my role as a mother. Help me to remember that I do not have to do this alone—that you are with me to strengthen and guide me.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!