My grandfather was an alcoholic. My dad talks often about how this addiction shaped his and his siblings’ lives. In fact, his sister passed away at the age of 60 from liver cancer due to alcohol addiction as well. All of this instilled in me that it is deeply important to pray for addicted fathers.
When you have a father who struggles with any type of addiction it can leave you feeling angry, neglected, and sad. As a (son/daughter) there may not be much that you can do for your father.
If your childhood has been traumatic or if your relationship with your father has been damaged, you can rest knowing that this world is temporary. We were made for eternal life where there is no suffering.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, NIV).
The Lord is with you through all of your pain and suffering as you struggle with having an addicted father. I have given you 7 prayers for an addicted father. Feel free to customize them to your specific situation. Please leave prayer requests in the comments so we can pray with you!
Short Prayer For An Addicted Father
Lord, please help my father who is struggling with addiction. I know that deep down he doesn’t want to be bound by addiction. I don’t understand why he is doing this, but I know he needs Your help to overcome his addiction(s). Heal him of his emotional wounds so he can be the father he was called by You to be. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer For A Father Addicted To Video Games
Lord, please help my father who is addicted to video games. It started as just a hobby, but now it’s taking over his life. It’s pretty embarrassing to have a dad who would prefer to play video games than hang out with his child. It’s all he wants to do and it’s frustrating and worrisome.
I worry about the violence in these games. When he is spending 5+ hours a day consuming this content instead of content that is glorifying to You. I’m worried he’ll start becoming a violent father too. Lord, help him to see that he needs to get help for this addiction. Video games are okay in small doses, but this lifestyle is unhealthy and makes him an unfit parent.
He is using video games to fill the God sized hole in his life. Help him to know that You alone are the one thing that will make him truly happy. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer For A Father Addicted To Alcohol
Lord, my father is addicted to alcohol. Many people can easily fall victim to alcoholism, but you never think it will be someone you’re close to. I know that life is hard. It is exhausting, but alcohol is not the answer. Lord, please show my father that You are the answer. You alone can heal his wounds.
My father turns into a different person when he drinks. He’s mean and angry. It makes me feel unsafe. I worry about what his behavior will do to my siblings and me. We can’t really have a relationship with him when he’s drunk all the time. It’s really lonely feeling neglected by your dad all the time.
Help my father to turn to You instead of alcohol in his times of distress. Show him that laying his burdens at the foot of the cross is more freeing than addiction. Help (Name) to better know and understand Your presence and overwhelming faithful love.
Lord, please place someone in his path who knows your love and can share it with him. I want it to be me or my mother, but I’m not sure if I’m the right person to do this. I don’t want to damage my relationship with my brother any more than it already is. Give me the wisdom to know how You want me to help him. May I always be an ear to listen to his struggles and a pillar of strength for him in times of distress.
Please help (Name) to overcome his alcohol addiction. Give him the courage to seek the help that he needs. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer For A Father Addicted To Illegal Drugs
Lord, please help my father who is struggling with illegal drug use. I can’t imagine the pain, the suffering, or trauma that someone must endure to turn to illegal drugs. My father has many wounds. Please help him to know that his wounds cannot be healed through the numbing of illegal drugs.
Lord, please place someone in his path who knows your love and can share it with him. I want it to be me, but I’m not sure if I’m the right person to do this. I don’t want to damage my relationship with my father any more than it already is. Give me the wisdom to know how You want me to help him. May I always be an ear to listen to his struggles and a pillar of strength for him in times of distress.
Smoking illegal drugs is not going to solve his problems. They’re only causing more problems! I’m worried it’s putting my family in danger. He is just so selfish and I can’t help but resent him. I don’t want to be this way. Please heal my heart and help me to forgive him.
Please give my dad the desire to seek the help he needs. Help him to know that he will only feel healed and fulfilled through You (and rehab and therapy)! In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer For A Father Addicted To Sex/Pornography
Lord, please help my father who is suffering from sex and/or pornography addiction. I’m so disturbed that my dad is struggling with this addiction. It feels like such an extreme betrayal against my mom. I’m disgusted at his behavior.
I’m so worried the lack of ownership of this addiction will rub off on my siblings and they will become addicted as well. Please protect them from pornography. I hope they never see it. May dad fight against this addiction to save our family from generations of pornography addictions.
I’m frustrated with our world because it’s advertisers who are rubbing sex in people’s faces constantly. I’m angry because my dad should have been smarter to consume less content with this message if he knew he was struggling with an addiction.
Please show (Name) that he is worth more than cheap sex. He was formed by You and has a beautiful path ahead of him if he can overcome this addiction.
Help me to be a supportive (son/daughter) to help him through this difficult time. It’s a really awkward topic and I don’t know how to be there for him. Frankly, I don’t want to be there for him, but no one else is and he can’t keep going on like this. However, I know You do know how I can help. Give me Your wisdom on how to proceed so I can help my brother begin a new journey of purity and chastity.
Please help give him the desire to quit (watching porn/having sex). I know, deep down, he wants to follow You, but he feels ashamed and doesn’t know how this part of him can fit in Your plan. Help him to see that he needs to overcome this to be truly happy. May he remember these words from Scripture in his moments of fear and doubt,
“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB).
In Your name, I pray Amen.
Prayer For A Father Addicted To Gambling
Lord, please watch over my father who is addicted to gambling. He’s damaging our family’s finances and the relationships with those that he loves. I’m terrified mom and him will get divorced and leave our family broken.
Show him that he doesn’t need the thrill given to him through gambling. He needs You. I know he will be restless until he rests in You.
Lord, please place someone in his path who knows your love and can share it with him. I don’t want it to be me because I’m his child. I’m not sure if I’m the right person to do this, but no one else seems to be helping him. I don’t want to damage my relationship with my father any more than it already is. Give me the wisdom to know how You want me to help him. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Concluding Thoughts
Having a father who struggles with any type of addiction is challenging. Always know that you can go to the Lord with all of your feelings. He longs to comfort You and spend time with you even if your Earthly father cannot or does not.
Remember that you were not created for this world. You were made for more. You were made for eternal happiness with God. A place with no pain and suffering, a place filled with everlasting joy and peace. Even if your life hasn’t been as you thought due to a father struggling with addiction, know that your eternal life with your Heavenly Father will be better than you’ve ever imagined.