Praying for Your Children’s Future: A 5-Day Devotional for Parents & Guardians by Tola Olabiyiਨਮੂਨਾ

Identifying and Uprooting Bad Seeds

Matthew 13:24-25 (NIV)

“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away...”

Just as we are intentional about planting good seeds, we must also be vigilant about bad seeds that threaten our children’s future. Bad seeds can appear in many forms—toxic friendships, negative influences, harmful habits, or even our own careless words spoken in frustration.

I’ve realized that I can’t always be around my children to shield them from every harmful influence. This world is filled with enticing distractions, and sometimes they creep in unnoticed. However, I’ve also learned that prayer is one of my greatest weapons. When I pray and ask God to guard my children’s hearts, He can uproot or neutralize bad seeds before they take deep root.

The Bible warns us that while the farmer sleeps, the enemy may come to sow weeds among the wheat. This verse reminds me that the enemy is constantly on the lookout for ways to disrupt and damage the good work God is doing in our children’s lives. I’ve seen how a single encounter—a distressing online video or a conversation with a troubled peer—can plant seeds of anxiety, fear, jealousy, or confusion in a child’s mind. If left unaddressed, these seeds can grow into strongholds that hinder spiritual growth. This is why, as parents, we must be spiritually alert.

Uprooting bad seeds involves discernment—recognizing when something is harmful, even if it appears benign at first. It also requires boldness in taking action. This might mean restricting certain forms of media, confronting unhelpful patterns of speech, or seeking godly counsel or coaching to deal with more complex issues. Most importantly, it involves ongoing prayer, asking God to reveal any hidden weeds and remove them.

I pray that the “good soil” of my children’s hearts will choke out or reject any seeds not planted by God. When a negative influence tries to introduce things like pride, jealousy, fear, self-doubt, rebellion, etc, I want my child’s spirit to be so nourished by truth that the lies cannot take root.

Still, I’ve learned that preventing bad seeds doesn’t mean our children will never encounter them; it means they have the spiritual fortitude to withstand and overcome them. By consistently sowing God’s Word and praying for discernment, we’re equipping them to recognize deception and stand firm in faith.

• Reflection: Are there any “weeds” you’ve noticed in your child’s life—perhaps a negative attitude, pride, or questionable choices? How can you address and uproot these in love?
• Prayer: “Lord, expose every bad seed attempting to take root in my children’s hearts. Uproot anything not from You, and give them the strength and discernment to resist harmful influences. Father Lord, help me and give me the strength to tarry in the place of prayer and let me not be spiritually asleep concerning my children.