Parenting is so hard, isn’t it? It’s a job that I consistently make mistakes doing. I am always trying to do better, learn more, and make repairs with my kids through apologies.
Life is a lot different in 2025 for a middle schooler and high schooler. In an unpredictable world, what can we do as adults to help our kids build their faith in times of struggle? We must equip and provide tools for our children to find hope, strength, and peace through reliance on God.
Where Does Faith Come From?
Christian resilience comes from a trust in God and His plan for our lives. It isn’t about self-reliance and personal characteristic traits. James 1:2-4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”* When we have God in our lives, we can face struggles and find hope and peace. Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Nurturing our children’s faith requires intentional effort, patience, and love. We need to build authentic relationships with them, provide solid biblical teaching, encourage prayer, and be positive role models for them. Let’s unpack that a little bit more.
Building authentic relationships
The foundation of growing children’s faith is building an authentic relationship with them. Authenticity fosters trust. This allows our children to open up and share their thoughts, doubts, and questions. Parents, take time to listen actively, understand their perspective, and respond with empathy and respect. By demonstrating genuine care and compassion, we can create an environment in which they feel safe to explore their faith.
Nurturing our children’s faith requires intentional effort, patience, and love.
Biblical teaching
To help our children grow in their faith, we must provide them with a solid biblical foundation. Encourage them to engage with Scripture regularly and explore its relevance to their lives. Plan a Bible study group or participate in youth programs in which they can discuss and learn about God’s Word in a supportive community. By delving into the teachings of Jesus, they can gain wisdom, find answers to their questions, and develop a deeper understanding of God’s plan for them.
Parents are role models
My husband, Tyler, is reading a really good book right now, and it talks about how important parents are in their children’s lives—how they talk to, interact with, and react to them matters. We must show our kids in our actions how to respond to struggles. How does your faith shape your response to difficult situations? What are our kids learning from us? Responding appropriately is not always easy, is it? Here are three ways we can model a Christian response for our kids: openly pray as a family during hard times, express gratitude even in difficulties, and talk about how faith helps us personally.
Practical Ways Kids Can Rely on God During Trials
Pray
Prayer needs to be our first response, not our last resort. Encourage kids to talk to God about all their struggles and fears. Philippians 4:6, 7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
It’s easy for us all to say memorized prayers in the morning, before meals, and at the end of the day. So we try to be intentional about prayer in our home and to make it meaningful. We want our children to develop a prayer life of their own now, so that when they are adults and parents they can continue this essential spiritual discipline.
We all have trials in our homes; trials are a part of this life. Are we getting frustrated, impatient, angry, and worrisome, or are we praying first? When our children see us turning to prayer first, they learn from a young age the importance of prayer and God in our lives to lead us. When children are struggling, offer to pray right then for help from God. Teach your children, by example, the power of prayer.
Memorize Scripture
Teach your children Bible verses for comfort and strength. There are so many to choose from. Google them, make flashcards, say them together, put them on the bathroom mirrors or on the refrigerator, and hang them on their bedroom doors. Here are three to look up: Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 41:10; and 2 Corinthians 12:9. You can add so many more.
Prayer journal
Prayer journaling has become popular in recent years. Let your children pick out a journal and tell them to write down their prayers to God. They can even keep track of their answered prayers. I still love looking back at my previous prayer journals and seeing where God answered my prayers.
Keep a family prayer journal, too. Write down all the evidence of God’s work in your lives, especially during trials. This is something everyone can look back on and feel hopeful.
Remember, let’s focus on God’s promises, not just life’s challenges. Struggles are temporary—and our kids need to understand this. A strong foundation of faith in God helps our kids face challenges and build resilience. We’re all in this together. Above all, let’s pray for our kids as we parent them to the best of our ability.
* Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.