Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Emma
A cousin is a special relationship. There’s just something about the memories you make with someone while running around your grandparent’s home. Whether you are close to them or not it is always important to pray for your cousins.
My mom is one of 6 kids so, on her side, I am one of 14 cousins. Growing up all 14 of us would go to “Camp Tschosik,” a weekend event at Grandma and Grandpa Tschosik’s with no parents! It was a weekend full of capture the flag, water balloon fights, and eating too many sweets.
This weekend every summer gave us all the opportunity to grow not only as cousins but as friends. I’m so grateful for the gift of this time that our parents and grandparents gave to us each year.
Unfortunately, as we’ve gotten older, gone to college, gotten married, and had kids, the connections haven’t stayed the same. We all have 100 tasks on our to-do list and maintaining relationships with each other went to the back burner.
I often envy Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her cousin Elizabeth for the close relationship they had as adults. When the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Mary he also told her, “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month” (Luke 1:36, NIV).
A few verses later we read that “Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39-40, NIV).
When Mary learned of her cousin’s pregnancy, she rushed to go and help her! Mary, who was pregnant herself, traveled for miles to serve Elizabeth. What an example of sacrificial familial love.
May Mary be our example of what it means to be a loving cousin. I have given you 6 prayers for a cousin, but feel free to customize them to your specific situation. Please leave any prayer requests in the comments as you are praying so we can pray with you!
Short Prayer for a Cousin
Lord, thank you for the gift of my cousin. (Name) is such a light to the world. (He/She) is not just a cousin, but a true friend. Thank you for the gift of family! May (he/she) continue to glorify You in all that (he/she) does. May You be at the forefront of (Name)’s mind and the driving force for all of (his/her) actions. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for Keeping a Good Connection with a Cousin
Lord, thank you for the gift of my cousin, (name). Cousins are a special bond I didn’t truly appreciate until I am older now. We had so much fun as kids, running around at grandma’s house, joking around, and playing games. We always saw each other at family events, but now we are grown, and we don’t all make it to every gathering.
Going to grandma’s house was always exciting when my cousin would be there. We would embrace and run off and instantly start talking and giggling. Somewhere that got lost. We barely talk anymore outside of family gatherings and we now have the capacity to do that. I want to have a better relationship with my cousin.
I am so busy with my job and family that I often times forget about my cousin. I know (he/she) has important and stressful things going on in their life so I need to keep (him/her) at the forefront of my mind more often. I know it means a lot to me when (he/she) reaches out to me so I need to return the favor and work harder to maintain our connection.
Please help our relationship to grow on a spiritual level. I know (name) has fallen away from the faith (he/she) grew up with. I’m not sure if (he/she) prays or goes to church anymore. Allow me to be a light to my cousin so that (he/she) can turn back to you. When we aren’t close to you, O God, we are restless. I know my cousin is restless.
When my cousin and I speak please help my words to be Your words. Help me to be Your face, hands, and feet. Help me to preach the Gospel and when necessary use words to do so. I hope (he/she) can see my passion and purpose for life derive from an authentic and pure connection with You.
I love my cousin and I love you. I hope (name) and I can maintain a better connection so (he/she) can love you too. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for Good Health for a Cousin
Good and gracious God, please keep my cousin in good health. I know (he/she) has been battling a variety of health concerns and I pray that you clear them up. You are a miracle worker so I know that if it is Your will you will heal (name) of (his/her) afflictions.
Please heal (name) of not only (his/her) physical wounds, but of (his/her) emotional and spiritual wounds as well. May name remember the words from Scripture, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3, NIV). May my cousin turn to you, the ultimate healer, for every kind of healing that (he/she) needs. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for Cousin to Put God First
Dear God, Your Son says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12: 30-31, NIV).
If these are your greatest commandments then they are my biggest prayers for my cousin. I hope (name) loves you above all else. If (name) is struggling to put you first right now I pray that you take away the distractions. Give (him/her) the desire to pray daily and fervently.
I also pray (name) loves others as (himself/herself). Your Son served the poor selflessly and that is something we should be doing here on earth. It is our mission as Christians to be Your face, hands, and feet to those we encounter daily. I hope this mission is at the forefront of (his/her) mind.
If (name) is struggling in either of these areas please place someone in (his/her) path to help (him/her) grow. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for a Cousin During Hard Times
Lord, my cousin is going through a difficult time right now. Things are piling up on (him/her) and I know she is struggling even though she doesn’t want to show it. (He/she) is such an amazing person. She is a true light in so much darkness in this world. Please don’t let the darkness get to her too.
Help her to persevere in all her endeavors. When my cousin is struggling help (him/her) remember to “cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22, NIV).
We can fill ourselves with worldly things, but nothing will ever sustain us as You do. No matter how difficult things are right now for (name) please help (him/her) to have hope in You. Help (name) to deal with their stress in healthy ways and if they need help, give (him/her) the courage and strength to ask for help. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer for Cousin to Grow in Virtue
God, there are many virtues you want us to model as Christians. The Scriptures tell us that compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience are just a few of the characteristics we should embody as Christians (Colossians 3:12, NIV).
I fervently pray that my cousin strives to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. When (he/she) sees those less fortunate than (him/her) may (he/she) remember to treat them with the love of Christ. May all the words that come from (his/her) lips be spoken with kindness, gentleness, and love.
May (name) try not to boast about (his/her) accomplishments. May (name) strives to recognize Your power and know that (he/she) can do nothing without You. May (name) have a heart of humility. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Concluding Thoughts
Maintaining relationships with loved ones can be difficult as life gets busy. However, you will never regret taking the time to reach out and maintain a connection with your cousin.
May your relationship with your cousin be filled with the Holy Spirit. Consider these words from Scripture as you work towards a better and more holy relationship with your cousin “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV).
May your relationships with your cousins be Christ centered and when life gets busy and you want to let it go to the wayside, offer a quick prayer for your cousin and remember you are always united through Him.