Teaching Kids to Pray and Trust God When Life Feels Scary or Uncertain
Can I tell you something? Teaching kids to pray is one of the greatest gifts we can give, especially when life feels upside down, and God's grace in hard times reminds us why. I remember sitting with my daughter Hadessa in that hospital room and wondering if I was saying or doing enough, a moment that reminds us of grace and faith in hard times. You see, nothing prepares you for those moments. But in our family, prayer wasn’t an add-on. It became the oxygen we breathed—sometimes whispering, sometimes laughing through tears, always anchored in trust.
Maybe you’re wondering how to help your own child find strength in prayer when things get hard, and Christian community during adversity can support them. Friends, you’re not alone, and handwritten notes for encouragement remind us we're not alone. In our recent podcast episode, Hadessa and I opened up about what it looks like for faith to move from a nice idea to something practical and real. Not perfect, but biblical lessons on suffering shape our trust. Not about knowing all the words, but trusting God sees and loves us no matter how messy things can get.
Why Teaching Kids to Pray Matters Most in Uncertain Times
I’ve heard so many parents gently ask, "How can my child actually talk to God?" Let me tell you: children crave security, especially when things go sideways. Teaching kids to pray gives them more than words. It teaches them to find peace, even when the world seems shaky. Prayer isn’t about getting all the details right. It’s about inviting God into our everyday moments—fear, joy, anger, laughter. (Sometimes all in the same hour.)
When we went through Hadessa’s illness, prayer grounded our hearts, and biblical lessons on suffering helped shape our perspective. Yes, we were scared, but hope after loss and renewal can grow through faith. But I watched my daughter’s small prayers shape not only her strength, but mine. And I realized this is God’s design. Kids need to see that prayer is a safe place—not a performance. That’s what makes teaching kids to pray so important, especially as we seek hope after loss through spiritual growth. They don’t have to wait until life is easy or their faith feels big enough. They just need to know God welcomes them, exactly as they are.
How Does Prayer Build Spiritual Resilience in Children?
Here’s the thing: resilience isn’t something that just happens. It grows when we practice trusting God, day by day. When you’re teaching kids to pray, you are giving them tools that last for a lifetime. They learn to bring their worries, needs, and joys right to God’s lap. Prayer isn’t about having the right answers or pretty language. It’s about relationship. It’s about reminding our kids (and maybe ourselves) that God is bigger than our hard days.
- Prayer teaches children to pause and breathe when things feel out of control.
- It gives them language for gratitude, even for the smallest things (like hospital popsicles or a silly joke).
- Prayer helps them process feelings that words can’t always express.
Faith isn’t just something grown-ups do. It’s something our families get to share, in real time, even when we don’t have it all together.
What Does Teaching Kids to Pray Look Like During Trauma?
Can I be real with you? I wish I could say there’s a step-by-step guide for praying with your child during scary seasons. But it’s less about a formula and more about presence. When Hadessa was sick, sometimes her prayers were just, “God, help me feel better.” Simple. Direct. Honest. That’s enough.
And sometimes all I could pray was, “Lord, be near.” Some nights we sang little songs. Other times we sat quiet, holding hands. We asked each other, “What are you thankful for today?” And sometimes the answer was as real as, “I’m thankful for good chicken fingers.” (You know hospital food isn’t known for making the top ten lists.) But even gratitude for small things shaped our prayers. That’s how teaching kids to pray can turn a hospital room into holy ground.
How Can Parents Model Prayer When They Feel Weak?
Some of you wonder how to teach prayer when you don’t have all the answers. Newsflash: None of us do. But your honesty will speak louder than certainty. When your child sees you praying scared, praying tired, praying anyway—something shifts. You’re showing them prayer isn’t just for the strong. It’s for all of us, right in our mess. Your child learns that God isn’t just for good days or calm hearts. He’s with us when breath is shallow and faith is wobbly. That’s the heart of teaching kids to pray.
- Pray with your kids when you’re anxious. Let them see you bring your worries to God.
- Use simple words. God understands every sigh and every smile.
- Keep routines, but don’t be afraid to make prayer spontaneous (bedtime, mealtime, hospital mornings).
- Share what you’re thankful for (model it for them, even the little things).
Sometimes your child just needs permission to pray in their own way. It won’t look neat. But it’s real, and God delights in it.
Why Trust Is Foundational When Teaching Kids to Pray
Here’s something I learned beside that hospital bed: trust is caught more than it’s taught. When we say, “God is near,” our kids look to see if we really believe it. Are we anchoring our hope in something bigger than pain or fear or outcomes? You don’t have to pretend you’re not scared. Trust doesn’t mean never feeling afraid. It means letting God hold those fears with you.
Hadessa reminded me that trust often comes out in the simplest ways. A joke, a smile, a whispered prayer. Sometimes, trust is just taking the next breath and saying, “God, I believe you’re here.” When you’re teaching kids to pray, you’re giving them a way to connect with God that’s honest and real. Their questions, frustration, and even their silence are safe with Him.
How Can We Cultivate Everyday Trust and Prayer With Our Kids?
Let’s get practical. Teaching kids to pray isn’t about long prayers or sentences that sound “grown up.” It’s about daily habits that put God in the center of real life. Here are a few ways I’ve seen prayer build trust in our home:
- Ask, “What do you want to talk to God about today?” Let your child’s needs shape their prayers.
- Share stories from your own life (when God felt close or when you struggled to trust).
- Use Scripture together. For us, Psalm 34:18 (CSB) became an anchor: "The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit." This isn’t churchy talk. It’s truth our hearts needed at 2am.
- Find joy together—even in silly ways. Laughter is holy on hard days.
Encouragement for Parents Walking This Road
If you’re reading this as a mom, dad, grandparent, or friend who’s walked a hard road with a child, hear me: Your prayers matter. Teaching kids to pray during trauma isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about showing up. It’s about letting your child know that pain isn’t the end of their story. God writes hope in the middle of it all. And sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is squeeze their hand, say a quick prayer, and trust God sees it all.
Our experience became less about the crisis and more about learning to find God in little places—lunchbox prayers, songs in the hospital, honest thankfulness for tiny good things. Every prayer was a reminder that we are not alone. Every small trust became a building block for resilience (for her and for me).
Your child won’t remember every prayer you say, but they will remember that you invited God into their worry, their questions, and their laughter. That’s a legacy we can pass on, one simple prayer at a time.
Where to Go From Here? Put Teaching Kids to Pray Into Practice
- Start small. Pray with your child once a day (even one sentence counts).
- Listen to what’s on their heart. Let them pray about anything (nothing is too small).
- Share a Bible verse or song together. Keep it simple and real.
- Remind them God loves them no matter what their prayers sound like.
If you want to hear Hadessa’s full story and more encouragement on teaching kids to pray, check out our podcast episode, "God Was With Me: A Child’s Healing Journey." You’ll find practical ideas, honest stories, and hope for your own family’s faith walk. And remember, every little prayer counts—especially on the hard days. Let’s keep teaching kids to pray and trust God together, one step at a time.
Looking for more encouragement? Listen to "God Was With Me" or read more stories of hope and healing from our community. We’re all in this together, and I’m cheering you on as you put perspective into practice in your own life.
