It’s common for people to want to offer comfort and support to their loved ones during a difficult time and many people swear by the power of prayer or its ability to heal. While not everyone is religious, the concept can apply to anyone. After all, a reminder that people are sending you well wishes during a difficult time can offer comfort and support. Here are 23 powerful prayers that can offer consolation to anyone, regardless of their religious affiliations.
Prayer #1
Whether you’re religious or not, you likely always hope your loved ones will be safe and happy. This prayer: “Merciful Father,
Thank you for the friends I have experienced in my life. I pray for your grace and favor upon them. I pray that you protect their children. I pray that you protect their marriages. Protect them from the eyes of their enemies. Help them deal with their grief. Bless them, and protect them from temptation. Help them be successful at what they do. Thank you for answering my prayer,” is a meaningful wish for a loved one. It, hopefully, ensures a life full of love and prosperity, safe from those who intend to cause harm.
2. A Prayer for Success
Everyone wants their loved ones to thrive and accomplish their goals and dreams and this prayer is a perfect wish, just drop the “Loving Father” if religion isn’t your thing.
“Loving Father,
You are the giver of success; without You, our hustles are in vain. Grant my friend success in his endeavors. May he excel in all that his hands find to do, according to Your perfect will.”
3. Comfort a Friend
Pain is inevitable but comforting words can help.
“God,
I pray for healing and comfort for anyone dealing with heartache. I pray that they find refuge in You in the midst of their pain. May You continue to give them the strength to keep going — to push through these dark moments and know You are with them every step of the way.” You can remove the intro and replace the words “pray for” with hope for, and this kind hearted blessing will suit and offer comfort to anyone.
4. Hope for Healing
Life is full of challenges and no one is immune to them. As such, it’s always the correct time to send your loved ones a mental wish for them to overcome their current struggles and feel a sense of calm among the storm.
“Dear Lord,
I pray for my friend right now. I pray that you will help them with the struggles they are going through in this season. For you know exactly what they need in this moment. Draw near to them, and let them feel your presence. Open their eyes, ears, and hearts to you.”
5. A Prayer for Happiness
“Father God,
Thank you for my best friend, Lord. They have been there for me when I have needed it. Today, I ask that you would pour out your spirit on them. That they would feel your presence and be filled with hope and joy.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.”
While someone may or may not feel emotionally connected to God and other religious beliefs, stress has a detrimental effect on one’s health and wellbeing and no one is an exception. As such, everyone can benefit from a little more peace and this prayer is a sweet way to remind others what they mean to you, and send them positive reinforcement throughout the day.
6. A Prayer for Protection
“Dear Father,
I treasure my wonderful friends so much. Thank you for their presence in my life. I ask that you would watch over them and lead them into hope and blessing. I trust that you will protect and hold them when life is hard. Lord, help me to be a good friend to them.
Amen”
Mentally take note of how much your friends mean to you and how much you want good things for them. Furthermore, while prayer can help, your sentiments are sure to mean the world to your loved ones so be sure to tell them.
7. Always a Good Time for Gratitude
Learning to be grateful for all of life’s joys, even in the face of adversity, is a difficult task to master but doing so can help make even the most difficult situations seem manageable. Therefore, this prayer is relevant for everyone, just change the words that don’t apply if you’re not religious and the sentiment of joy and gratitude still remains, serving as a reminder to you and your loved ones of how special you all are, and the connection you share.
“I give thanks for my friends, for connection and laughter, for comfort and strength, for encouragement and unity, for forgiveness and grace, for celebration and joy. They are so many things to me, such a rich tapestry of blessings, woven through my life. Thank you.”
8. Support During Difficulties
“My prayer for you, dear friend, is that the Lord will turn your weeping into dancing. He will give you a reason to not just smile but laugh again. The Lord will see you through this difficult situation and comfort you on all sides.
Amen.”
This prayer serves as a “healing” or empowering sentiment to a loved one as they face life’s challenges. However, sending a note of love and encouragement, in any wording, will make a significant impact upon a loved one during their difficulties.
9. Sentiments and Actions
This “healing” prayer is intended to improve one’s state of health. Meanwhile, equally if not more helpful is stepping up to comfort them. “Lord,
I’m grateful to be alive! Today, I will not ask for anything for myself. I just want to pray for my friend who is sick. May Your comfort be upon my friend’s sick bed. May You ease my friend’s suffering. Lord, You are the ultimate source of health and healing.” The prayer can be powerful for those who believe and those who don’t can choose to take action instead. For example, if your friend is sick, offer to pick up the kids, swing by the store to pick up medicine, or take care of a couple of meals so your friend can take some time to rest.
10. A Prayer for Happiness
“May you be blessed with good friends. May you learn to be a good friend to yourself. May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where there is great love, warmth, feeling, and forgiveness. May this change you. May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you. May you be brought into the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging. May you treasure your friends. May you be good to them, and may you be there for them; may they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth, and light that you need for your journey. May you never be isolated. May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your anam ċara.”
This prayer touches on numerous key aspects that anyone would hope for. Religious or not, you’ll be amazed at how wishing these things for the people you love will create more of them in your life and theirs.
11. Guidance or Wisdom
While some believe all of life’s questions are answered within, others turn to God’s vast knowledge for support. Either way, life is full of unanswered questions and blindly navigating through can seem daunting. A strong foundation and lots of wisdom are sure to be useful tools for everyone struggling with life’s conundrums.
“May the Lord be your solid rock. May He be your refreshing fountain. May the Lord be with you always. May you rise and soar on an eagle’s wings.”
12. A Prayer for Help Through Grief
“Merciful Lord and Savior,
We thank You that You never loosen Your hold on us, no matter what we are going through, for You are always faithful, even when we are not.
As You know Lord, my friend has decided that she doesn’t want to walk with You anymore. I pray that this change of heart is temporary, and that like the prodigal son, she will make her way back home to You, where You will welcome her back with open arms.
We thank You that with You we will always find grace. And, that we will always belong to You, and You to us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
It’s common for people to question their beliefs or lose faith, particularly when going through a loss or other extremely difficult or traumatic event. This prayer is intended to help those with religious affiliations remember their ideologies and foundation during difficult times.
13. A Prayer for Miracles
Although the word miracle is often associated with religion, the world is full of wonder and arguably, miracles. The changing leaves, migration patterns of birds, and the way life falls into place for those with seemingly great luck. This prayer sends well wishes to others that they’ll receive numerous miracles and blessings in their lives.
“Lord,
Please give my treasured friend love and blessings without end. Bring contentment in her life, comfort her in times of strife, always keep her safe, secure, let her path to You be sure. Lord, I pray my friend will be close to you, eternally.”
14. A Prayer for Forgiveness
When we wrong those we care about, we hope for forgiveness and understanding. This prayer symbolizes the significance of overcoming a rough patch with a close friend or relative. “Lord,
Today, I come to you hurting. This wound from a friend is almost more than I can bear. I feel brokenhearted, and I want justice. Lord, I know that justice is not mine to give, so I come to you open-handed. Here is the friendship that has wounded me so much, Lord — take this hurt from me, help me feel your peace and your love toward me now.
I don’t want to extend grace. But, I know you have been so gracious toward me — all my life you have lavished grace on me as I’ve sinned against you. Help me be humble. Help me see my part to play. Help me give grace and love toward my friend.
Soften my friend’s heart toward me now — let them return grace to me too.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
15. Offering Emotional Support
“Lord,
Satan is trying with all his might to divide your house and your people. We pray, Lord, with all our might that we would not let that happen. That we would remember that a house divided cannot stand. Help us to be the peacemaker in our relationships, friendships, and families, without bending or compromising on the truth. And Lord, if it must be that there are those who choose to no longer be our friends or in relationship with us, guard us against a bitter heart, and remind us to pray for a softening of their heart. In Jesus name, we pray.
Amen,” prays Janet Thompson, according to Women’s Day.
This prayer sends wishes to protect those who’ve chosen to leave our lives. It sends wishes to our loved ones to find inner peace and overcome hate, anger, and other emotionally taxing feelings and thoughts.
16. A Prayer for Guidance, Love, and Goodness
“Thank you for your great love and blessing over our lives. Thank you that your favor has no end, but it lasts for our entire lifetime. Forgive us for sometimes forgetting that you are intimately acquainted with all of our ways, that you know what concerns us, and you cover us, as with a shield. We ask for your guidance so that we might walk fully in your blessing and goodness today. We ask that your face would shine on us. That you would open the right doors for our lives and for our loved ones, that you would close the wrong doors, and protect us from those we need to walk away from. Establish the work of our hands, and bring to fulfillment all that you have given us to do in these days. We pray that you would make our way purposeful and our footsteps firm out of your goodness and love. Give us a heart of wisdom to hear your voice, and make us strong by your huge favor and grace.” This prayer shared by Debbie McDaniel is a powerful wish to send loved ones, encouraging “goodness” in life.
17. A Prayer for Love
“O fountain of love, love our friends and teach them to love you with all their hearts. That they may think and speak and do only what is pleasing to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.” — St. Anselm, Eleventh Century
This prayer became significant in the 11th century, proving love and friendship will always be relevant.
18. Fulfilling Needs
“God of all creation,
Although You had the power, You did not see it fit to grasp Your eternal glory. Instead, You set it aside to come down to us. Lord, I beg You to come again, to carry my friend who is in need. Bless them, Lord, as You have blessed all of Your children. Give them the strength that comes only from You and the willingness to endure through this time of trial.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
People often go through unspoken challenges and this prayer envelopes any possible difficulty without getting too specific or being too invasive.
19. Relief from Grief
“Most merciful Jesus,
There are times in our lives where we seek peace we are unable to obtain. Alas, someone I love is grieving a loss. He/she is burdened under many pressures. Confusion has made understanding difficult for him/her, and he/she is physically worn down. Lord, we know that You provide the peace that surpasses all understanding. Wash over him/her with Your spirit. Comfort him/her as he/she seeks understanding. For You alone can bring this peace.
Amen.”
Grief is one of the most difficult feelings that people face in life and this prayer acts as a sense of comfort and support throughout the process.
20. A Selfless Love
“Lord God,
You teach us that there is no greater love than he who lays down his life for a friend. Lord, I want to be this kind of friend. I want to reflect on the type of love that You have for us in my relationships here on Earth. Father, help me to adopt a heart like Yours. Help me to carry my cross and to bear the burdens of those around me. Help me to be a loving friend.
Amen.”
This prayer serves as a reminder to be a selfless and loving friend and to always lead in love.
21. Another Prayer for Abundant Love
This prayer: “Almighty God,
We entrust all who are dear to us to thy never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen,” is a powerful wish for unyielding love.
22. A Prayer for Safety and Protection
“Dear God,
Please keep my family, friends, and loved ones safe. Please watch over them always, and let good health, happiness, and good fortune befall them.” The short and seemingly simplistic prayer is packed with the power of love, wishing good things and above all else, safety and wellbeing, for others.
23. Another Prayer for Difficult Times
“Heavenly Father,
It is so hard to watch _________ suffer. It doesn’t seem fair for her to have to endure so much pain. Even though I am powerless, I believe that you are powerful and capable of stepping into this situation and completely altering the outcome. In faith, I am responding to the promises in your word that you listen to our prayers, and those prayers can make her well. So, I am bringing my friend before you to ask for your healing touch in her life. Thank you for the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal healing, but I am asking you to provide healing for her on this side of heaven.”
While many of these listed prayers are clearly intended for those with a deep spiritual connection to God, that may not always look the same. For instance, many people believe that putting positive thoughts of love, good health, prosperity, and happiness out into the universe will bring that back to you beyond your wildest dreams. Regardless, taking a few moments a day to focus on the positive and send thoughts of love and support to others will help improve mood and to create an optimistic outlook.
Read More: 50 Thoughtful Ways to Send Your Condolences To Family or Friends
