Let’s be real—sometimes life is messy, emotions are overwhelming, and things just don’t go the way we want. Kids feel this just as much as we do (maybe more!).
But here’s the good news: God isn’t asking for perfectly polished prayers wrapped up in a bow. He wants the real deal—even when it’s messy.
Just look at the book of Psalms. David and the other psalmists didn’t hold back their emotions. They poured it all out—fear, sadness, anger, frustration, and everything in between.
Psalm 13, for example, starts with David practically yelling at God: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” That’s not exactly a sweet, tidy prayer, is it? But God didn’t reprimand David for being honest. In fact, those raw prayers became part of Scripture.
The same goes for Psalm 109, where the psalmist vents anger and frustration, even asking God to deal with his enemies (yikes!). It’s intense, but it shows us something important: God can handle it.
Here’s what this means for your kids: they don’t need to shove their anger into a corner or pretend it’s not there.
Encourage them to take it straight to God. Whine, pout, rage, plead, weep, even shout—God’s shoulders are big enough for it all.
In fact, He wants to hear it. That’s how kids learn to trust Him with their whole selves, even the not-so-pretty parts.
A Hands-On Exercise for Praying Through Anger
Try this with your kids next time they’re feeling angry:
Name the feeling – Ask them to name what they’re feeling out loud. “I’m mad!” “I’m frustrated!” Give them permission to be honest.
Write it out – Give them paper and crayons or markers. Let them draw or write what’s making them angry—whether it’s scribbles, shapes, or even a scene of what made them mad. No filters—messy emotions welcome!
Pray it out – Help them turn their words or drawings into a prayer. For example: “God, I’m so mad right now because my friend hurt my feelings. I don’t even want to talk to her. Why did You let this happen? Help me, please!”
Listen – After the prayer, encourage them to sit quietly for a moment. Let them know it’s okay if they don’t “hear” anything—just being honest with God is enough.
This simple exercise shows kids that they don’t have to clean themselves up to come to God.
It also gives them a healthy way to process big emotions instead of bottling them up.
The more we guide our kids to bring all their emotions to God, the more they’ll grow in their relationship with Him and learn that God’s love isn’t dependent on their mood or “perfect” words.
Teaching our kids this truth is huge.
They don’t need to ignore their anger or pretend it’s not there. Instead, they can pour it out to God. When they do, they’ll discover that God can handle their hardest feelings.
LOOK INSIDE THE PRAYER CALENDAR
But here's the thing—God wants their raw, unfiltered hearts. That’s why we created the 2025 Family Prayer Calendar—to help you raise kids who aren’t afraid to be real with their Heavenly Father!