Power Prayers For Our Daughtersናሙና

Day 3 — Setting Her Mind

Devotion

I live in a house full of stubborn people. Both my daughter and my husband have what he calls “a silent will of iron.” Maybe you know a little something about that too?

Over the years that hardheadedness has played out in different ways—from wearing the same princess outfit for a solid week to, most recently, a mad rush to gather the necessary audience for a speech due in her college class. (For the record, I knew what day the speech was due, but my gentle reminders were not heeded. Hence the mad rush when she checked the syllabus.)

The truth is, once my girl’s mind is made up about something, it’s nearly impossible to change. And this is great in many ways, like the loyalty she has for her friends and her commitment to growing in the Lord. But it can also be challenging for her. 

Even as a young child, her mind raced with fear. In my book Praying for Girls: Asking God for the Things They Need Most, I share a story about how Psalm 56:3 has been a key verse for that battle in her mind. Over and over we’ve prayed those simple words, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (CSB).

Scripture tells us time and again how necessary it is to set our minds on Christ, to allow our thoughts to dwell on the things that please Him, to nurture a mindset that honors Him. We must take seriously the responsibility to teach our child to hold God’s Word firmly in their hearts and minds, to pray for them to bind His truth to their lives.

Prayer

Lord, battles of the mind can be overwhelming. We know it can take a lifetime to overcome negative and untrue thought patterns developed during childhood. We offer our prayers as a wall of protection around our daughters, to keep those dangerous thoughts from taking root in their minds.

We know at as we think, so we are. This is why we pray for our girls’ minds to be guarded and stayed on You (Proverbs 23:7) We pray for them to have minds which are transformed and renewed by Your Word and the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 12:2, Ephesians 4:23–24). May our children understand the ways Your Word protects them (Psalm 119:26). May they know Your peace, the peace that passes all understanding and guards their hearts and minds in You (Philippians 4:7)

Lord, we pray for direction and faithfulness as we guide our daughters to entrust their minds to You. And help us, Father, to do the same. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scripture Readings

Deuteronomy 6:4–8

Psalm 56:3

Proverbs 23:7

Hebrews 12:2

Ephesians 4:23–24

Psalm 119:26

Philippians 4:7

Psalm 119:11

Conversation Prompt

Look up Psalm 119:11 and read it with your family. Memorize it together as a family and talk about how Scripture protects our minds.