Families are a precious gift from God that should not be taken for granted, so when issues do arise, we need to turn to God and ask Him to intervene. The enemy will do everything in his power to destroy the sanctity of marriage and the family unit, especially so with Christian families. The attack to destroy families, therefore is something all of us face, in one way or another. There is no perfect family on the face of the earth, but there are godly families. Godly families are families that turn to the Lord amidst every challenge coming their way. Godly families never take anything for granted and keep watching over their family unit in prayer.
What is a ‘broken family’?
A broken family is one where the individuals encounter significant emotional problems with one another. There could also be abuse or neglect or a lack of support for children within the family. The environment of a broken family is not a loving one. Usually, there is mutual distrust and a lack of care for one another. The children then feel unsafe and long for a stable family where there is mutual care between parents and children. Divorce is claimed to be the main reason or cause of broken families. Daily disputes and fighting between a husband and wife can revolve around a financial issue, faith issue, a child with disabilities, early marriage, teen pregnancy, education, health problems etc.
Two examples of broken families in the Bible
God created the perfect family unit at creation, when He created Adam and Eve. They were the first family, evidencing the image of God in their beings and in their union. But then they sinned and became separated from God. This also affected their relationship with each other. Thus, the original family unit was broken. Adam and Eve’s first child, Cain, was born into this broken family. Cain, murdered their second son, Abel. Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Genesis 4:8).
At the request of his wife Sarai, who was impatient for a child, Abram took their slave, Hagar, as His mistress and had an illegitimate heir/child, Ishmael. Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. (Genesis 16:1-2; 4).
Does prayer fix every broken family?
What does it mean to pray for broken families? Does it mean that their situation will be miraculously fixed or turned around? Not necessarily, no! However, through prayer, the Lord will most certainly work in troubled relationships of broken families. Through prayer, broken families may experience increased faith and hope and surrender their family fight to Jesus.
Let us pray
Father, we pray for these families to reach a place where they will admit the brokenness of their family, and where they will yield to Your power to heal their family relationships.
Lord, where they struggle emotionally, may they reach the end of trying to fix things themselves. We pray for them to open their hearts so that You can do the work You want to do in them individually. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23). We pray for them to turn to You for hope and grace that only You can give.
There is no situation that God cannot redeem.
Father, there is no situation that You cannot redeem. We pray for these families to embrace their need for mercy from You and from each other. Holy Spirit, please guide them in building a family that is vibrant and full of Your life. Help them to educate each other in Your ways and to avoid hurting each other. Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!” (Psalm 30:10).
Father, we ask You to deliver them from their disfunction as a family. We pray for broken families to confess where they have been feeding disfunction through an atmosphere of distrust and repressed emotions. We ask for them to confess that they have been dishonest in communicating with each other and have even been deceiving themselves. Help them to establish healthy boundaries and honest communication with each family member. Let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity. (Job 31:6).
Let their home be a sanctuary of peace.
Sustainer of our souls, we pray that they will long for their home to be a sanctuary of peace, a home that flows in surrender to Your Holy Spirit. We ask for them to admit that their family needs God’s peace. Forgive them for being selfish, argumentative, domineering and hurtful. May Your Holy Spirit cultivate within this broken family love, joy, peace, and patience so that their family unit will reflect You. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22).
Father, as parents of broken families examine their childhood, please show them where they mirror negative behaviours of their own parents that were disturbing and disruptive to them as they were growing up. Please show them where they have been passing down these disrespectful ways of communicating and behaving to their children. We ask that You help them as a family to establish healthy communication and behaviour based on Your Word. In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7).
Forgiving the injustices and letting go of anger or bitterness.
Father, we pray for the healing of deep emotional wounds that individual family members have experienced, as a result of a divorce. Help them to forgive the injustices and not cling to anger or to bitterness. We ask You to be their strength in times of loneliness and depression, and to bring them back to a place of joy. We pray for broken families to release the past and to form a new family life that is healthy and focused on You. The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. (Psalm 28:8).
Father, we ask You to rebuild each husband or wife who has been broken by the unfaithfulness of a spouse. Lord, this divide in their relationship seems impossible to overcome, and yet, in You there is hope for healing and enduring reconciliation. Help broken families to cling to that hope and to rebuild trust. Help spouses to repent and return to their families, committed to restoration and reconciliation. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. (Psalm 115:11).
Beauty from ashes…
Father, You are the Strength of Your people; may Your strong arm mediate and destroy these hurtful behaviours that have been tearing families apart. Help them to confess that they were pursuing self-centred agendas and to ask for forgiveness. We pray that You will bring them beauty from ashes as they anchor themselves in the certainty of Your Word. Strengthen these families to stand together and to be loving – affirming one another. Mend their broken hearts and restore their souls. We pray for them to always place You as the Chief Cornerstone of their family. It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. (Psalm 18:32).
Pray the Lord’s Prayer over broken families
- Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Our Father in heaven, may Your name be honoured in broken families. We desire for each individual to be restored, made holy and cherished, through the power of honouring and fearing God.
- Your kingdom come. May Your kingdom come soon in their lives. When a person seeks first the kingdom of God, then everything else in life is placed in the right order. When God is in control of lives, there will be direction in the prayers, thoughts, behaviours, feelings and attitudes of the family members.
- Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May Your will be done in broken families on earth, just as it is in heaven. God’s perfect will for broken family members is their salvation in Christ Jesus.
- Give us this day our daily bread. Give them the food they need for today. God’s grace is sufficient to meet all their needs – one day at a time. When they come to Him in prayer, He meets their needs daily. He feeds them the bread of His Word and He provides for all their physical needs as well.
- And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And forgive them just as they have forgiven those who have sinned against them. Forgiving one another prepares one’s heart to receive forgiveness. Forgiveness is not an option. Jesus states it plainly that if we forgive those who sin against us, our heavenly Father will forgive us. But if we refuse to forgive others, our Father will not forgive our sins.
- And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Don’t let them yield to temptation, but deliver them from the evil one. Apply the blood of Jesus in prayer for protection over broken families. The blood protects them from the sin of building walls that hinder and even destroy relationships.
- For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. For You will build Your kingdom and manifest Your glory forever and ever. The battle has already been won on the Cross where Christ destroyed the works of the devil. Let them battle in prayer that claims, establishes and overcomes the enemy, though he seeks to rob, kill and destroy their abundant life in Christ (John 10:10). Pray for the abundant life of God’s kingdom in the lives of each one living in broken families.
