Prayers for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a joyful holiday for many Christians worldwide, but it’s also a challenging holiday for many of us as well. Mother’s Day has been hard for me ever since my mom passed away in 2015, but it’s also a painful reminder that I have yet to become a mother myself.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post inspired by Romans 12:15. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” I’ve written these prayers for Mother’s Day with the same intention in my heart.

You will find Mother’s Day prayers for the following circumstances:

• celebrating new mothers still recovering from childbirth
• celebrating adoptive mothers
• mourning alongside mothers who have buried their children
• mourning alongside women struggling with infertility
• celebrating your own mother
• celebrating other mother figures in your life, including step-mothers and mothers-in-law
• mourning alongside children who have buried their mother
• mourning alongside children with a difficult relationship with their mother

When Mother’s Day comes around, I hope you will rejoice with those who rejoice… But remember to weep with those who weep. Jesus wept alongside the sisters Martha and Mary, who mourned the death of Lazarus. He did this knowing He would resurrect Lazarus. We should all aim to be more like Jesus, who is with us in both celebration and despair.

I know these prayers do not cover every possible situation on Mother’s Day, but I still hope they encourage your prayer life. If you know of someone who needs special prayer on Mother’s Day, one of these prayers can be a starting point to help you pray for that particular person. Some prayers might be combined for your own circumstances, like a prayer for your mom who adopted you.

Note: I have written these prayers for you to pray for others, but you can certainly change them around to pray for yourself.

Joyful Prayers for Mother’s Day

These Mother’s Day prayers celebrate motherhood! Pray one or more of these prayers to God for the mothers and mother figures in your life. If you are praying for a specific person, adapt the prayer for that woman’s circumstances. Pray for her by name!

A Prayer for New Mothers After Giving Birth

Dear Heavenly Mother, God of all creation, I lift up new mothers still in that postpartum stage. Let this first Mother’s Day be a precious day they will never forget.

The arrival of a new baby is such a joyous and momentous occasion, but it’s not without challenges. Heal new mothers from their labor and delivery experience. Surround them with a careful and compassionate support team, including both medical professionals and loved ones.

The first year of a child’s life is filled with wonder and discovery, as the baby grows and their parents adapt to parenthood. But it can also be an emotional, difficult time with sleepless nights, bodily fluids, financial challenges, and more. Bless these new mothers. Help them nourish their babies in whatever way best suits them and their family. Comfort new moms. Surround them with love and support. Let them know they are not alone. Guide them to make the best decisions for their new baby, and help them feel confident in those decisions.

No two pregnancies are alike, no two children are alike, and no two mothers are alike. You know the specific needs of each of Your children. Provide for new moms so their physical, emotional, and mental needs are all fulfilled, whatever that looks like.

Finally, I ask that You reveal the best way for me to support new moms. I am willing and able to help, but I lack direction. Help me be Your instrument on earth.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

A Prayer for Adoptive Mothers

Oh faithful God, I praise You for Your wisdom and Your love. Your hand is always at work in our lives, even when we cannot see it. Today I thank You for the gift of adoptive mothers.

Every child deserves a safe and loving home. I give thanks for the selfless women who open their homes and their hearts, who become mothers to children not of their body. I offer particular praise to the women who adopt older children and children with special needs. You have truly blessed these mothers to follow Christ’s example, to tend to the “least of these.”

Every child is different, every family is different, every adoption is different. Bless the placement of every child with their adoptive mother. Nurture that new relationship between mother and child. Provide the family with a strong support network, including access to mental health services, because even a positive adoption experience can involve trauma.

Finally, if there is a way I can support adoptive mothers, reveal it to me. Allow me to serve You by serving others.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

A Prayer for Mom

Oh gracious God, giver of life, thank You for blessing me with my mom.

First, she carried me in her womb, and then she delivered me. Those words are so simple–they do not begin to describe the magnitude of my mother’s task! Thank You, Lord, for protecting us both during her pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

My mom has always celebrated my triumphs, from my first steps to my first job. She has always comforted me in times of despair, from skinned knees to broken hearts. I am who I am today largely because of her.

I could spend the rest of my life heaping praise upon my mom and thanking You for my blessings as her child. You know what is in my heart. I believe the Holy Spirit will intercede on my behalf, praying what I feel when my words do not suffice.

Open my eyes and strengthen my resolve so that I can be a better child to my mom. Remind me to celebrate my mom every day, not just on Mother’s Day.

Finally, Lord, I ask that You bless my mom. Heal her of her current afflictions. Protect her against any who might do her harm. Encourage my mom in everything she does. Her faith is already strong, but continue to be a constant presence in her life. Remind her of Your love.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

A Prayer for Mother Figures

Loving God, who provides all blessings, thank you for the many mother figures in my life. This Mother’s Day, I acknowledge the many women who have cared for me over the years.

Thank You for my aunts, who are always willing to listen.

Thank You for my best friend’s mom, who always treats me like part of the family.

I am truly grateful for my mother-in-law, for my stepmother, for these women who accepted me as a bonus child.

You have blessed me with so many women who are role models, teachers, listeners, advisers, and more. Women who mother me without duty or obligation, through love alone.

They have been selfless in their actions towards me, loving me without expectation of reward. Reveal to me ways that I can repay their kindness, that I can best express my appreciation so they know the full extent of my gratitude.

These women have all been a blessing to me, and so I ask that You bless them in return. You know the challenges they are facing, the hopes and dreams in their hearts. Show them Your love. Answer their prayers.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

Comforting Prayers for Mother’s Day

If you know someone struggling with Mother’s Day, pray for them. For many Christian women, Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of what we don’t have–or rather, who we don’t have.

These prayers acknowledge the pain of Mother’s Day and ask God for comfort.

Note: While I have written Mother’s Day prayers, the first two comforting prayers are for any gender, not just women. The other two prayers refer to children, but those can be adult children.

A Prayer for Parents After Loss

Lord of compassion and God of all comfort, I lift up to you parents mourning the loss of a child. God, You watched Your own Son die on the cross. You know this pain, this unfathomable loss, a pain that’s especially sharp on Mother’s Day.

Outliving a child is one of life’s greatest tragedies. It’s hard to hold on to faith when facing such despair. Be with these parents. Envelop them with Your love. You promise always to be with us, and these parents need that promise more than ever.

Comfort the parents who welcomed a stillborn baby into the world. Give them strength to get through each day. Help them know that their precious baby is with You now, safe and sound forever. Surround these parents with compassionate friends and family. Let these parents know that they are not alone.

Comfort the parents whose child just died. Remind them that You are with them always. Allow them to lament in Your presence, to pour out their grief upon You. Grant wisdom and compassion to their friends and family so that these loved ones can best offer support. Grief is unique to the individual, and only You know the path forward for healing. Illuminate that path for these parents and for their support system.

I ask all of this in the name of Jesus, Your Son who died on the cross to offer eternal salvation to us all. Amen.

A Prayer for Those Struggling with Infertility

Dear Heavenly Mother, God of mercy and peace, only You can heal our bodies, our minds, our hearts, our souls. Today I call on You for healing as I lift up Your children who want to have children of their own. Every day of pregnancy announcements and birth announcements can hurt, but Mother’s Day brings about its own pain.

Women throughout history have called upon You, weeping over their empty wombs. You blessed so many faithful women with children. You gave Isaac to Sarah, Esau and Jacob to Rebekah, John the Baptist to Elizabeth. These are only some of the stories to Bible tells about women facing infertility.

Today, science knows more about infertility, but ultimately, You are still our Lord, God of all creation. For this reason, Your children still call upon You with every negative pregnancy test, with every heartbreaking doctor’s appointment. Embrace Your children who long for children of their own. Grant them patience during this season of waiting. Remind couples to rely on You, but also on each other. Heal their bodies, their minds, their hearts, their souls.

If Your will for these parents-in-waiting is another path to parenthood, reveal Your will. Help them feel at peace with their decision to try fertility treatments, to adjust their diets, to foster children, to adopt children.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

A Prayer for Children Whose Mother Died

Lord, You are our refuge and our strength, who promises to always be with us. Right now I ask that you reveal Your constant, loving presence to the children mourning their mother. Mother’s Day is so hard without a mother to celebrate.

We know that physical death on earth is not the end, but even with unwavering faith, the death of a parent is so incredibly difficult to bear. This is true at any age. Young children, adult children, even children with children of their own. They all grieve when their mother dies.

Restore their broken hearts. Grant them the strength and the resolve needed to live with love, with hope, with faith. Empower them to follow any positive example from their mother, while also not repeating any mistakes their mother might have made.

While Mother’s Day will always be bittersweet for the children without mothers, let the sweetness reign supreme. Help your children recover and recount cherished memories of their mother, so even tears are accompanied by smiles.

In Christ’s name, Amen.

A Prayer for Children with Absent or Abusive Mothers

Almighty and loving God, You hear the prayers spoken in Christ’s name. This Mother’s Day, I lift up all the children with absent or abusive mothers.

For children still at home, I pray for protection. It’s so hard to understand why You allow evil to exist, why You allow children to be abused. Protect these children from abusive mothers. Allow human intervention from courageous, compassionate adults. Help these children find a loving home.

For children without a present mother, let them know they have a heavenly Mother who will never forsake them. Help these kids realize they are not to blame for their mother’s absence. Place other loving adults–fathers, aunts and uncles, family friends, etc.–in their life, so they still feel the fullness of love and support. Lead these adults to acknowledge the sadness and grief of these children, who might always be hurt by life without a present mother, even amidst other loving adults.

For adult children, heal their festering wounds. Strengthen their hearts so they might forgive their mothers, not for her sake, but for their own peace of mind. If they become parents themselves, give them good parenting role models. Show them how to be loving, present parents so the cycle of abuse ends.

Finally, I ask You to help mothers who have been absent, neglectful, or abusive. Open their eyes to their sin. Soften their hearts for true repentance. Transform their lives so that they can become better mothers.

I ask all of this in the name of Jesus, Your Son who died on the cross to offer eternal salvation to us all. Amen.

Final Thoughts on Mother’s Day Prayers

I hope these Mother’s Day prayers will help you, no matter your own relationship with the holiday.

You can also download printable versions of these prayers.

Email Address First Name Mother's Day prints Send me my prayer printables!

If you’re looking for more ways to pray for women, check out 31 Days of Prayer for Women.

I’ve also put together a Christian gift guide for Mother’s Day.

How do you experience Mother’s Day?