7 Things You Should Pray for During a Custody Case (For the Sake of Your Child)

A loving guide for mothers in custody battles. Discover 7 heartfelt prayers to protect your child and anchor your heart in God’s peace and wisdom.

FAITH & CUSTODY

Valerie Beals

5/18/20255 min read

7 Things You Should Pray for During a Custody Case

Hey Girlfriend, I know your heart is heavy right now. Custody battles are some of the most painful journeys a mother can walk through. It’s easy to get wrapped up in how wrong everything feels—the betrayal, the lies, the endless court paperwork, and it's sometimes easier to focus on what's going wrong, instead of what we should be doing right. But here’s the truth we both know deep down: the one who suffers the most are our kids. As a good mom... as a good Christian mom our love needs to be stronger than our anger. We need to protect our little blessings, not punish them. We have to remember that they are going through a battle of their own too. They too lost someone and the two people that mean the most to them are just no longer together, but they can't seem to be in the same room without fighting. So let’s lay our pain at the feet of Jesus and fight this battle differently—with prayer, wisdom, and a mama’s fierce, faithful heart.

Let’s us walk through seven powerful things to pray for asking Jesus to protect us and our children through this battle. Allow the blood of the Lamb to shield and cleanse us from anything that is not in His design for us.

1. Pray for Your Child’s Heart to Be Protected
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)


Your little one is watching, absorbing, and feeling more than they can say. In this storm, their heart is the most vulnerable thing of all. Ask God to shield them from emotional harm, confusion, and bitterness. Pray that their heart remains soft, whole, and grounded in love—not caught in the crossfire. You are their safe place, but God is their ultimate refuge. Let Him do what only He can.

2. Pray for Wisdom and Self-Control in How You Speak
“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” — Proverbs 14:1 (NIV)


Let’s be real—it’s hard to stay calm when you're being misrepresented, misunderstood, or manipulated. But friend, your words are building blocks or wrecking balls. Every interaction—texts, court filings, conversations—either builds your child’s future or damages it. Ask the Holy Spirit to bridle your tongue, to give you wisdom beyond your own, and to help you respond, not react. You’re not just fighting for justice—you’re modeling character in the eyes and image of Jesus.

3. Pray That Bitterness Won’t Take Root in You
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” — Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

We have every reason to be angry. But holding onto bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It will harden us, exhaust us, and—worst of all—leak into our parenting. I heard this phrase and it has stuck with me ever since... There are no justified resentments. However justified we feel, girlfriend, we need to let that go. Bitterness defiles many, and we don’t want our child to become one of its casualties. We need to ask God to cleanse our soul daily. Let forgiveness be our rebellion. We’re not just letting them off the hook—we’re freeing ourselves to love our child better.

One thing that I started doing is reading the bible to my son at bedtime. I teach him Kingdom principles every day, we pray and worship together, but nothing beats reading the word so he can clothe himself with the full armor of the Lord too.

4. Pray for Fairness and Justice in the Courtroom
“For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones.” — Psalm 37:28 (ESV)


It’s tempting to feel powerless in front of judges and lawyers. But remember who the true Judge is. God sees every lie, every manipulative tactic, every unjust claim—and He is not indifferent. He loves justice. He is our Advocate, and He will not forsake us. Pray for honesty to prevail, for truth to shine through, and for every hidden thing to be brought to light in God’s perfect timing.

If you're enjoying this article, consider heading over to my youtube channel for my devotional prayers for handling custody battles

5. Pray for Peace to Fill Your Home
“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” — Isaiah 32:18 (NIV)


Even if the other house feels chaotic, ours can be a sanctuary to our children. Don’t underestimate the healing power of peace. Pray that God fills our home with calm, laughter, security, and the kind of peace that makes our child exhale. Light candles. Play worship music. Hug more. Smile more. Speak life. And love plenty. Create a holy atmosphere that our child can run to and exhale in.

6. Pray That Your Child Knows They Are Loved—Deeply and Unconditionally
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” — Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)


No matter what custody looks like—shared time, transitions, or complicated dynamics—our child must never doubt they are deeply loved. Let our love mirror God’s: steady, unshakable, everlasting. Pray that they feel anchored in this truth. And even if the other parent can’t show love the way they need it, our child will still know what true love looks like—because they experienced it through us.

7. Pray That God Would Heal What You Can’t Control
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (NIV)


There’s so much we can’t fix. And the past is one of those things. There's so many wounds we can’t prevent. But God—He is the mender of broken things. When we’re crushed, when our child is confused, when things feel like they’ll never be okay—He is near. Pray for divine healing for us and our child. Invite Jesus into the broken places. He’s not intimidated by the mess. He will hold our heart—and our child’s—with the gentlest hands.

One Last Spiritual Hug Before You Go
You are not alone in this, sis. You are a strong, good mother. Not perfect—but present, loving, and fighting in the Spirit. Keep showing up. Keep choosing prayer over pride. Your child is watching you rise—and they will thank you for the peace you chose in the middle of war.

Click the link below and grab my free 30 Day Devotional eBook for Custody Prayers

Thank you for joining me today in prayer for protecting our children through this difficult spiritual warfare of a custody battle. Stay faithful and loyal,

Love always, Val