5 Prayers to Pray for Difficult Family Relationships

In Isaiah 55:8-9, we read the familiar words, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Oh, how limited we are in the way we think. So often, we base our decisions on feelings instead of God’s Word, and in doing so, we add to the difficulty of our relationships. But what could happen if we began to seek the ways of the Lord over our own opinions? Perhaps, we would…

• Think kindly instead of angrily
• Think compassionately instead of critically
• Think realistically instead of emotionally

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways. But when we learn His way of thinking and begin to put His ways into practice, amazing things can happen even in the most difficult of relationships.

Lord God, please help us learn Your way of doing things. We get stuck in our own thought patterns and beliefs, and because of this, we don’t interact with others the way we should. Please help us think differently, from a heavenly perspective, so we can offer kindness and compassion to every family member. Show us practical ways to bless them and begin living as examples of Your love. As we spend time in Your presence, help us think more and more like You. In Jesus’ name, amen.