Prayer Topic #9:
A Prayer for Caregivers
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 99, I Corinthians 13
Reflections of the Heart:
“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life–that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” ~ American Poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson
Scriptural Prayer:
Worthy Father, we praise Your wonderful Name. Thank You for those in our Church Family who have assumed the responsibility as caregiver for a parent or relative. Thank You for Your sufficient grace which is given to each of them daily. Thank You for working in them and giving them the desire and power to do what pleases You. We are grateful for their willingness to model Jesus in the way that they give up their lives to meet the needs of others. Heavenly Father, we have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself. How we praise You! Because You are our Helper, we will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. We cling to You. Your strong right hand holds us securely. How joyful are those of us who fear You, Lord. We delight in obeying Your commands.
Holy Father, we confess that in Your unsearchable wisdom, You have graced the caregivers in our Church Family. We declare that they will not get tired of doing good; but that they will persevere until the appointed time for them to reap their harvest of blessing. As they trust in You to fill them with new strength, they will soar high on wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. They will remain strong and courageous; confident that the sacrifices they are making will be rewarded. Lord, we decree that even when they plant in tears, they will harvest with shouts of joy. No matter how challenging the task, they will do everything without complaining or arguing so that no one can criticize them. As they do this, they will shine like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. We declare that from Your glorious, unlimited resources, You, our Father, will empower them with inner strength through the Holy Spirit.
Consider those you know who are caregivers and ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify three ways you can be a blessing to them today:
Holy Spirit, give comfort to those who spend their lives comforting others. Lord, for those who are now parenting a parent or guardian, please help them to process this role reversal and give them the strength and wisdom to handle this change without disrespecting their parent or guardian. Remind them that the Father sees their sacrifices and He will reward them. Encourage them to not neglect their mental and physical health and help them to find healthy, holy ways to relax. Please send others to relieve them of their duties so that they can enjoy rest, fun and relaxation. Lord, please help the caregivers to not grow resentful or angry; but help them to roll their cares upon You and trust that You will take care of both them and the loved one they are caring for. Remove those who are abusive and mean-spirited. As a Church Family, show us how we can support the caregivers among us.
Gracious Father, forgive those of us who take caregivers for granted. Forgive those who selfishly overload them with tasks. Forgive those who are caregivers for succumbing to anger and frustration when they should be patient and tenderhearted. Forgive those caregivers for murmuring and complaining, and for being inconsiderate. Forgive those who may have been negligent and lazy while caring for others. Lord, forgive me for (list any sins that you have committed). Holy Spirit, remind our caregivers of those they need to forgive and help them to be quick to forgive. As for me, Holy Spirit, bring to my remembrance those I need to forgive. (Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal names and faces of people that you may need to forgive. As He reveals them, say, “I forgive names of person(s).” Now, trust the Lord to heal any wounds in your soul caused by unforgiveness.)
Holy Spirit, help our caregivers not to yield to temptation but deliver them from the evil one.
O Holy One of Israel, You are King! Let the nations tremble. You sit on Your throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake! You sit in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations. We exalt You and bow low before Your feet, for You are holy! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Scripture References for the Written Text: II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV, Philippians 2:13, I John 3:16, Psalm 63:2-3, 7-8, Psalm 112:1, Galatians 6:9, Isaiah 40:30-31, II Chronicles 15:7, Psalm 126:5, Philippians 2:14-15, Ephesians 3:16, Matthew 6:6, Psalm 55:22, Matthew 6:13, Psalm 99:1-2,5
Today, I will trust God to:
© Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. ©2022 Caldwell Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved — No reproduction of the material is permitted without the expressed permission of CMI