When kids get to high school, they have a whole new world of activities, friends, curriculum, and more. Most of the time, there is a transition from being in the same classroom all day to changing rooms for every class. There is pressure to do better, learn more, get in the best college, plan for the future! Some teens feel the pressure more than others, but all of them have some degree of added stress once the high school years begin.
Parents will need to pray much harder for teens, because the temptations and difficult situations met by high schoolers multiply. There is more peer pressure, more hormones, more harmful substances being offered, and more. Fervent prayer for teens is the best way for parents to help them through high school.
Pray Big
Of course, parents want their children to survive high school, but if examined closely, it would generally be fair to expand that to the fact that parents really want their teens to thrive in high school. God is a big God, and He can answer big prayers. Pray for what is most desired rather than sticking with the minimum. Pray for goals to be met, and for big achievements. Remember to consider what the high schooler wants when formulating the big prayers.
Pray Specifically
While God can answer a vague prayer, it is usually better to be specific. Instead of praying for God to bless the teen, ask for God to give wisdom and clarity, or to provide a need, or to protect from a bully, or whatever is specifically needed in the teen’s day. God does know the parent’s heart, but He likes to hear what we want, in the same way that a parent might recognize a need or desire in a teen’s life but prefer the teen to ask the parent for the item rather than just giving it to them unasked.
Prayer for Faith
Salvation is the primary need in every person’s life. If the child has reached the teen years without making a profession of faith, this is the most important thing about which one should pray for a teen. There is no decision more important for any person.
“Heavenly Father, I know You love my child even more than I do, and my biggest desire is for this teen to come to know You as Father in the same way that I do. Draw my child to You and show Your love, grace, and mercy to my child and bring my teen to Your salvation.”
Prayer for Learning & Diligence
Teens have a lot of more difficult concepts to learn, and with a room full of other people, and other things to pull at their attention, focus can be a challenge. Homework is also more difficult, and diligence is a skill that needs to be developed.
“Dear Lord, my teen is dealing with a lot of new things, and there is so much out there to learn. Help my child to retain the lessons that are taught, and give diligence for completing assignments both in class and at home.”
Prayer for Purity & Self-Control
Temptations abound as hormones soar in high school. Teens may be under the impression – or even be outright told – that being pure is stupid or lame. Self-control, while necessary, is not common.
“Our Father, keep my child pure. Help my teen to resist the temptations that are sure to be all around the school and give self-control in every situation faced. Help my child to realize the inherent value of both my child and the other teens at school and exercise the self-control You provide.”
Prayer for Proper Friendships
The people with whom teens surround themselves will have a big influence on them. If they hang out with the troublemakers, they will doubtless end up in trouble. If they spend a lot of time with people who party and do drugs and drink alcohol, they will probably end up indulging, as well. Choosing good friends who will encourage proper living is a key to thriving through high school.
“Dear Jesus, bring to my teen the friends who will encourage right and discourage bad living. Help my teen to be the kind of friend that will make other parents glad to have their children be around. Give my child a propensity to kindness and the willingness to listen and help when possible. Help my teen remember that friendship is a blessing and a responsibility.”
Prayer for Compassion & Strength
Some teens must deal with bullies, and some teens are bullies, and then there are bystanders. Parents definitely hope their children are not the bullies, and they also prefer that their children are not the victims of bullies, which is understandable. However, the teens that do not fall into those categories may still be onlookers.
“Lord God, give my teen the compassion to be aware when someone is being abused or bullied, and give the strength to confront the bully and aid the victim whenever possible. Help my child to never be a bully to others, and protect my teen from being bullied, as well.”
Prayer for Good Mentors
Teens in high school generally have a teacher for each class, rather than just one teacher for the whole day. They have coaches and guidance counselors along with the teachers. All of these adults have influence on the teens.
“Dear God, my teen has a lot of influences at school. There are a lot of teachers and other adults around the school; please give them wisdom and help them to pass on wisdom to the kids. Give my kid discernment to know when the information being taught is good and right and when it is not. Give my child teachers and coaches who have the best interest of the students at heart and who aim to lead them into the right way.”
Prayer for Safety
With so many school shootings and human trafficking in recent news and so many bad things that can happen at school, on the way to school, and on the way home from school, today’s teens need God’s protection more than ever. Parents need to get in touch with God and entreat Him for protection.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for my teen. Protect this child throughout the day, from when it is time to leave the house until returning at the end of the day. Keep those with malicious intent away from the school today. Make the trip to and from school safe and free from accidents and injury. Bind those who want to kidnap or harm my teen or the other children. Thank You for Your constant vigilance.”
Prayer for Health
Colds and flu go through schools most years. Infectious diseases sometimes invade. Some teens may deal with more serious diseases, such as cancer or autoimmune diseases. Some are obvious while others are hidden. Regardless, most teens will deal with some sort of ill health during the school year.
“Lord Jesus, protect my teen from the diseases that go through the school this year. Give my child good health and resistance to the germs and microbes that cause discomfort. Protect my teen from carcinogens and other health risks.”
“Father, my teen is not feeling well. You know what is wrong, and You can touch and heal my child. Please, Great Physician, heal as only You can. Ease the pain and discomfort my teen is feeling and restore full health.”
Prayer for Wisdom
Teens acquire knowledge in their classes, but wisdom is more than knowledge. Wisdom involves understanding the proper application of the knowledge acquired. This can be more difficult than just gathering and remembering information.
“Dear God, give my teen the ability to use what is learned, and apply it to whatever areas of life to which it would best apply. Lead my child in the right way and provide the wisdom that You said You would give to anyone who asks.”
There are many situations that are best bathed in prayer while teens are in high school, from the first day as freshman to the last day before graduation. Teens deal with tests and quizzes, running laps, writing essays, and so very much more. When parents bathe their children and the activities in which they participate in prayer, they give their children the best support possible to keep them going the right way.