A Parole Prayer

Parole is a type of pardon given to convicted people who have been incarcerated. Being on parole does not mean that a person is free as if nothing has happened. They are free in terms of being out of prison. However, they still have to report to their parole officer occasionally. It is a different case than someone who has already served their sentence. Nonetheless, parole is a good thing because it gives another chance in life for someone who has been convicted and has served their time.

Heavenly Father, You are a God of second chances. I pray that I will get parole and live in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel and that others see Christ in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

What Is A Parole Prayer and Why Pray It?

A parole prayer or praying for parole is a prayer where you ask God for parole. Just as we pray to be accepted for employment after a job application, we can also pray to get the parole we appealed for.

As we define what a parole prayer is, it would be helpful for us to make a clear distinction between parole and pardon. Those two words are often interchanged or confused with each other, but it will be helpful to point out that parole and pardon are two different things.

Pardon is the act of eliminating all criminal records. It means wiping one’s record clean as if no crime had been committed. A pardon is something that only higher government powers can execute, like the president or the local governor. Pardons happen in special cases, such as considering the public’s best interest.

Parole, on the other hand, is when a convicted person still serves his or her remaining time outside prison. That is why, as mentioned above, he or she is free but not entirely free like a pardoned person. For example, John Doe was convicted to serve ten years for attempted murder. After four years in prison, he applied for parole and was approved. That means he will serve his remaining six years outside of prison. As he serves his time outside of prison, limitations, conditions, and restrictions are involved. For example, he is granted parole, provided that he attends group therapy sessions, is restricted from carrying any firearm, is not allowed to travel abroad, etc. The terms and conditions vary by state.

With the example above, we can see the difference between parole and pardon. While, in a sense, a pardon is ideal, parole is still not a bad option. It is another chance to get back into society, not as the same person who entered prison, but as a new creation whose heart has been changed by the Gospel and is now living for Christ (Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17).

In other words, when we say a parole prayer, we are praying for parole, to be given a chance to serve our remaining time outside of prison, obey the terms and conditions given to us, and use that chance to live a new life in Christ.

Why should we pray for parole? The answer is simple. It is because, in the end, it is God who grants the answers to our prayers. The Bible tells us that sometimes we do not have something because we have not asked for it (Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. James 4:2). If you are in prison or you know someone who is in prison who met Christ there and became a Christian, pray and ask God for parole. Everything comes from God.

How Can I Pray A Parole Prayer?

You pray a parole prayer by simply asking God for parole. However, there are other details or factors that you can include in your parole prayer. For example, you can pray for favor and compassion in the eyes of whoever in the U.S. Parole Commission is handling your request. You can also pray to God to give you or the person you know applying for parole the right words to communicate why he or she should be given parole. You can think of the factors that would affect the approval or denial of the request and pray for favor in those factors. Remember that you are presenting those prayer requests to God (Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7).

Father in heaven, I pray for favor in the eyes of the people in the U.S. Parole Commission who are handling my case. I pray that they will see that I am already a changed man, not because of my efforts, but because of Christ, and that they will give me a chance to serve my remaining time outside, where I will serve Christ. Give me the right words to communicate why I should be given parole and also take that chance to proclaim Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

If you are praying for someone in prison who is not yet a Christian, you can add that the second chance they will get by serving their remaining time outside of prison will be a chance for them to have a new life. If you know of someone like this, perhaps you should pray for their parole and preach the Gospel to them!