A Prayer For When Your Child Receives A Diagnosis - To Light Their Way

A Prayer for When Your Child Receives a Diagnosis

O Lord, You love our child infinitely more

Than we can wrap our minds around.

Help us remember that truth

When we arise and when we go to sleep at night.

For with this new diagnosis,

Our heads are spinning

And our hearts are aching.

O Lord, may every act of love be a prayer to You—

Every visit to a specialist,

Every late night spent researching,

Every parking spot in the hospital garage.

You hold our child in the palm of Your hand,

And we thank You that You have entrusted

The great joys and sorrows of this parenting journey to us.

O Lord, we pray for our child—

For comfort and for unexpected strength,

For rest and for rivers of peace,

For joy and for abundant laughter,

For doctors and for science

To converge with the peace

That surpasses all understanding.

We love from a deep well,

And yet sometimes our bones are dry

And we wonder why.

Why our child? Why us? Why this?

Help us know we are not alone

In these heavy questions.

Help us know that we can turn to You

With every wondering of the soul.

Give us eyes to see the beauty

In the beating heart in front of us,

And give us the gift of vulnerability

As we offer the broken parts of our hearts to You.

Wrap Your arms around our child.

Help us to remember that You have loved them

With a great love,

And while we are invited into their story,

We do not have to have all the answers.

We are simply called to show up,

For You alone are God.

And we are allowed to remove the weight

Of parenting perfection

From our shoulders.

In the laughter and in the tears,

And in the steps forward

And in the steps back,

May we keep our hearts centered

On the great truth that

You will never leave us or forsake us.

And may we live in the promise that

It is really true.

This may be a journey that

Takes us on unexpected paths,

But You will never leave Your flock.

Thank You for always pursuing us,

Even when we have felt the most alone.

We pray for wholeness and healing

In whatever form that takes right now,

And for perseverance and peace

In the promises of Your mighty love.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 Peter 5:7