Becky lives in Texas with her husband and two sons. She is passionate about supporting people in drawing nearer to Christ using Scripture, prayer, and journaling.
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These prayers for children are for you to pray specifically for your child to grow in each of the fruit of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.
Prayers for your children are some of the best gifts you could possibly give them.
Whether you are a mom, a dad, a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, a family friend, a caregiver, or anyone that dearly loves a child in your life, these prayers are for you.
The Fruits of the Spirit are traits of Christ, gifts that we have been given, but also traits that we can strive to grow in. Modeling those traits in your own life as much as possible for your children is wonderful (knowing that perfection is never the goal!), but using the prayers below (and any other prayers you speak over them) is a way to bless them immensely.
What Are The Fruit Of The Spirit?
The Bible verse that lists the fruit of the spirit is Galatians 5:22-23.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Prayers For Children To Grow In The Fruit Of The Spirit
Below, you will find prayers to pray for your child for each of the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Scripture.
We use words like “my child” as well as pronouns like “them” or “they.” You can pray the prayers exactly as they are written but we highly encourage you to speak your own child’s name in those places to make it personal for your child and your family.
Love
Dear God,
Let my child know and feel the depths of your unconditional love for them. I know that the more they experience the boundless love of God, the stronger they will be rooted in You, never doubting their worth as a child of God, especially during difficult times.
And the more unconditional love they experience, the more they will be able to show it to others. I pray that God’s love will always be their definition of real love, never settling for cheap substitutes.
My deepest hope is that You give my child a servant heart, choosing to put others’ needs above their own and meet them where they are, showing them compassion, mercy, and grace that can only come from You. Show me how to love my child well and how to teach them to love others well, too. Reinforce in their life every single day that love never fails.
The best place to entrust my child’s heart is in Your hands, Lord. I thank You for Your constant presence and Your tender care for the children’s protection. May they walk in Your ways and experience Your goodness in their lives. Honestly, living out Christian faith in our entire lives will never be easy because of difficult situations, but it’s worth it. Sometimes it’s challenging because adults’ actions affect children’s lives. And yes, even Christian parents like me struggle too. Together with other families today, interceding on behalf of our children and declaring God’s Word over the lives of our children with fear of the Lord in our hearts, we put our confidence in God’s Word to empower their young minds with the Power of the Holy Spirit. I believe in the power of prayer, Lord. I trust that You honor simple prayers that come straight from a pure heart.
We love You, Lord. Amen.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
Joy
Dear Heavenly Father,
What a beautiful gift You have given us, that we may experience joy. Bless my child and allow them to experience the joy that only You can give – a joy that goes deeper than just the feeling of happiness and a joy that is not dependent on their circumstances.
May they never settle for the cheap pleasures in life that give them momentary happiness, but let them see Your hand at work in every detail of their lives and may they feel Your joy to the core of their being.
In their daily prayer life, may they seek Your presence and find joy in Your love, one that this world can never give. In their bedtime prayers and morning prayers, may they find comfort in knowing that You hear their every word. Guide them in their prayer life, Lord, that they may grow closer to You each day and find sustenance in Your daily bread, even at a young age. As these young people navigate through life’s challenges and times of trouble, may they trust in Your wonderful way and find hope in Your powerful Scriptures.
Allow them to experience an unspeakable joy (1 Peter 1:8-9) in their trials (James 1:2-3), a complete joy in their relationships (2 John 1:12), and even joy in their sorrows (2 Corinthians 6:10). May they rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) as they draw nearer to You.
Amen.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James 1:2-3 NIV
I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
2 John 1:12 NIV
…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
2 Corinthians 6:10 NIV
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
Peace
O Lord,
Cover my child with Your peace – not as the world tells us what peace should be, but the peace that can only come from You (John 14:27). Teach them to do their part in living peacefully with their friends, family, and even complete strangers (Hebrews 12:14) as they learn to repay evil with blessing.
Show them how to take responsibility for the things they can control, but teach them how to live in peace with the things they cannot as they surrender those situations to You and trust You to guard their hearts in every situation (Philippians 4:6-7). Help me show them how to deal with their worries by casting their anxiety to you when they experience stress (1 Peter 5:7).
Let them know Your peace so well that they desire it, seek it, and pursue it (Psalm 34:14) with all of their heart. I love You, Father.
In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
Patience/Forbearance
Almighty God,
Please help my child to grow in patience. It is such an unnatural trait for us to wait patiently when we want so badly to get what we want when we want it! But You know what’s best for us and so often it involves waiting. Your gift of patience is the way to wisdom (Proverbs 14:29) and peace.
Show my child the importance of waiting and help me to model that patience for them in the process, knowing I struggle with it, too! Thank You for always being unendingly patient with me and help me to always remember it so that I can extend the same patience to my child.
In Thy Name I pray,
Amen.
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29
Kindness
Dearest Lord,
Help my child to have a genuinely kind heart. Give them a heart that cares deeply for people – for their friends, family, and even complete strangers. Grow their empathy and compassion for others, being able to put themselves in others’ shoes and see situations from their perspectives the best they can.
Soften their heart and give them a desire to treat others kindly and gently in every situation, knowing that every person around them could be going through struggles of their own. Teach them to not simply to act out of their feelings in the moment, but to choose to clothe themselves with kindness every single day (Colossians 3:12). I love You, Lord, and am so thankful for your unfailing kindness towards us.
In the Name of Jesus, I pray,
Amen.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
Goodness
Father God,
I pray that you help my child to be good. I don’t mean just acting good in their behavior, but being solidly good to their core – in their heart. Because we know that our actions start in our hearts, let them feel the desire to honor You and serve others.
Help my child to do good to others, prompted by faith, changing the world and the hearts around them, one act of goodness at a time (2 Thessalonians 1:11). Give them eyes to see the needs around them and equip them with the tools to step in and help. Thank You for your glory and Your goodness.
In Your Heavenly Name, I pray, amen.
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11
Faithfulness
Lord Jesus Christ,
Bless my child with a faithful heart, passionate about You above all. Give them an unquenchable desire to know You more, panting for You as a deer pants for water, that sends them running to Your throne daily.
Teach them to run to You first in their struggles and heartache, leaning into You and allowing Your strength to work through their weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Allow them to experience You so personally that they know without a doubt that You are their hope, their anchor when everything else in their life feels unsteady. Let them know You intimately, trust You deeply, and experience You daily, looking at life through faith eyes.
We love you, Lord. Amen.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:10
Gentleness
O God,
Teach my child to be gentle. Let their identity in You be so strong that they don’t feel the need to respond to anyone or anything harshly or defensively (Proverbs 15:1). Allow them to stand on Your promises and Your Truth, making their gentleness evident to all (Philippians 4:5).
Give them words of gentleness in every situation and a soft heart for the people around them. Let them see their gentleness as a sign of strength and wisdom, not weakness. Use their gentleness to change the lives of people around them, letting them experience Your love through their words and actions.
In Your Son‘s Name, I pray, amen.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5
Self-Control
Dear Jesus,
Help grow the fruit of self-control in my child. We are in a culture that tells us something must be wrong if we don’t get what we want when we want it. Let us break that message in our home and help them understand that self-control is a way to live within healthy boundaries that gives them more freedom than following temptations ever could.
Let them continue to build on their faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, and perseverance (2 Peter 1:5-6). Help them to understand that there is a greater purpose in saying no to themselves in the moment that gives them greater joy and satisfaction in the long-term. Guide their thoughts, words, and decisions, leading them on a path that honors You above all else.
We trust You and love You, God of grace, whose grace is sufficient in our weakness,
Amen.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness
2 Peter 1:5-6
Fruit Of The Spirit Song
A great way to teach your children about the fruit of the spirit is with this fun children’s song. This song is especially good for young kids like preschoolers.
You can see the Fruit of The Spirit song with motions here and these are the lyrics:
I wanna know (know!)
I wanna grow (grow!)
The fruit of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit
I wanna know (know!)
I wanna grow (grow!)
The fruit of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit
Love, joy, peace (love, joy peace)!
Patience, kindness, goodness (patience, kindness, goodness)!
Faithfulness (faithfulness)!
Gentleness (gentleness)!
Self-control (self-control)!
Fruit grows on gardens, fruit grows on trees
But the fruit of the spirit grows inside of me