Praying for others

Prayers for a sick friend

By Jolaade, who makes Mutter15 October 20267 min read

When a friend gets ill, most of us want to do something, and often there's very little we can actually do. You can't make the scan come back clear or the pain go away. You can bring them a meal and send a text, and you can pray, which is far from the least of it.

This page has some short prayers for different stages of being ill, from waiting for results to a long illness to the days when it's very serious. They're written plainly so you can pray them as they are, or put your friend's name in and change whatever doesn't fit. Further down there are some ideas for what to send them, and a few verses that people who are ill have found they can actually hold on to.

A word before the prayers

It's right to ask God to heal your friend. The Bible tells us to, and Jesus healed people wherever he went. But it would be dishonest to promise that every prayer for healing ends with someone getting better. Faithful people who were deeply loved and prayed for have died of illnesses. That doesn't mean anyone prayed wrongly or didn't have enough faith.

What the Bible does promise is that God is with the sick, that he cares, and that nothing, including illness, can separate us from his love. So pray boldly for healing, and pray for everything else they need along the way, and leave the outcome in his hands. When Lazarus was ill, his sisters sent Jesus a message that was only a few words long:

That's a whole prayer. You can pray it for your friend today.

While waiting for results

Waiting is its own kind of hard. The phone could ring any time, every twinge feels like a sign, and nobody wants to make plans.

Lord, Anna is waiting to hear back from the hospital and she can't think about anything else. Please let the news be good. Whatever it is, give her peace while she waits and people around her when she hears it.

For a friend in hospital

Hospitals can be noisy and lonely at the same time. Your friend may be in pain one hour and bored or frightened the next, and the nights can feel very long.

Lord, Tom is in hospital tonight. Ease his pain and help him sleep. Give the nurses and doctors patience and skill, and let the treatment work. When the ward goes quiet and he's on his own, let him know you're there.

Before an operation

Lord, Grace has her operation in the morning. Steady the surgeon's hands and keep her safe while she's under. Calm her nerves tonight, and bring her round to good news.

For a long illness

Some illnesses don't end. Chronic pain, cancer treatment that goes on for months, conditions that come and go and never quite leave. People with long illnesses often say the hardest part is that everyone else moves on. The cards stop coming and the visits get fewer.

Lord, James has been ill for so long now. He's tired of being tired. Give him strength for today, and let tomorrow wait. Don't let him feel forgotten, by you or by us. And please, if you will, make him well.

Paul had his own long trouble, which he asked God three times to take away. This was the answer he got:

When they're getting better

Recovery is slow, and it rarely goes in a straight line. There are good days and setbacks, physio, and the frustration of not being able to do what you could do before.

Thank you, Lord, that Sarah is on the mend. Keep her healing. Give her patience with the slow parts and with herself, and help her body get its strength back.

When it's serious

There may come a point when the doctors stop talking about getting better. If that's where your friend is, pray honestly. You can still ask for a miracle. You can also ask for peace, for good care, for time with the people they love, and for them to know they're held.

Lord, it's bad. You know how bad. Please do what only you can do. And if you're taking her home, let her go without fear and without pain, with the people she loves around her. Hold her family too.

If they do die, keep their family on your list for a long while afterwards. There are some old prayers for those who grieve that might help you find words.

Praying with them, and with your church

James wrote this to the early church:

Notice that being ill wasn't meant to be private. If your friend goes to church and would like it, ask whether the minister or elders could come and pray with them. And if you're with them, ask if they'd like you to pray right there. Keep it short, hold their hand if that's natural, and don't feel you have to fix anything with your words.

If you're part of a group that prays together, you could set a prayer for your friend for the next couple of weeks. In Mutter, a group admin can do this, and everyone in the group sees the same prayer each day, which is a good way to keep a whole circle of people praying for one person.

What to send them

People who are ill get a lot of "let me know if you need anything". It's kindly meant, but it hands them a job. A few things that tend to land better:

• A short text that doesn't need a reply: "Thinking of you and praying for you today. No need to answer."
• A blessing, written out. Numbers 6:24-26 is a good one: "May the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace."
• One verse, not ten. Psalm 41:3 or Isaiah 41:10 are good for someone who's frightened.
• Something practical with a date on it: "I'll drop a lasagne round on Thursday", or "Can I take the kids on Saturday?"
• A message weeks later, when everyone else has gone quiet.

What tends not to help is telling them that everything happens for a reason, or that they'll be fine if they just believe. Even if you mean well, it can leave someone who's struggling feeling they've failed. Job's friends were at their best in the first week, before they said anything:

If you can visit, it's fine to say very little and simply stay for a while.

Questions

What is a short prayer for a sick friend?

Lord, my friend is ill. Please heal them, ease their pain, and let them know you're close. Show me how I can help. That's enough, and you can pray it every day.

Will God heal my friend if I pray enough?

Nobody can promise that, and it isn't down to how much or how well you pray. God hears every prayer and he loves your friend more than you do. Keep asking for healing, and trust him with the answer.

Should I tell my friend I'm praying for them?

Usually, yes. Most people are glad to hear it. If your friend isn't a believer, you could ask first if they'd mind. There's more on this in how to pray for someone.

Keep reading

• /guides/how-to-pray-for-someone/
• /guides/prayer-list-ideas/
• Prayers for grief
• Prayers for peace