Prayers for Healing
A prayer for healing asks God for restoration of body, mind or spirit, and for comfort, strength and peace while we wait. A simple one is: "Lord, you see this pain. Please bring healing, give the doctors wisdom, and give me your peace and strength each day. I trust you with what I cannot control. Amen."
Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 (BSB)
When you or someone you love is unwell, prayer is often the first thing we reach for and the hardest thing to find words for. These prayers are honest about pain and hopeful about God, asking for healing, comfort and strength without pretending to know how or when he will answer. Pray them alongside the care of doctors and the people around you.
If you are struggling, please also talk to a doctor or someone you trust. If you are in danger or thinking about ending your life, call your local emergency number now. In Australia, Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK, Samaritans are on 116 123. Elsewhere, findahelpline.com lists free services. Reaching out for help is not a failure of faith.
A prayer for healing for myself
Lord, I am unwell and I am tired of feeling this way. You know my body better than I do, every cell and every ache. I ask you to bring healing, in your way and your time. Give wisdom to the people treating me and help me follow their care. On the hard days, give me strength for just that day. On the frightening days, give me your peace. Whatever happens, hold me close. Amen.
A prayer for healing for a loved one
Father, I bring you someone I love who is sick. It hurts to see them suffer and not be able to fix it. Please be close to them right now. Ease their pain, calm their fears and bring healing to their body. Give their doctors and nurses skill and care. Give their family patience and strength. And give me the right words, or the quiet presence, to love them well through this. Amen.
A prayer for someone in hospital
God, be with my friend in hospital tonight. Hospitals can be lonely, noisy and frightening places. Let them sense your presence beside the bed. Guide the hands of every doctor and nurse who cares for them, and give clarity to every decision being made. Bring rest when sleep is hard to find, and comfort when news is hard to hear. Surround them with love, and if it is your will, bring them home well. Amen.
A prayer for emotional healing
Lord, not every wound shows on the outside. Some of mine are in my heart and my memories, and they still hurt. I bring them to you, even the ones I find hard to name. Heal what has been broken in me. Where I carry shame, speak your love over me. Where I carry anger, help me find a way to forgive. Lead me to people who can help me, and walk with me as I heal slowly. Amen.
A prayer while waiting for test results
Father, the waiting is the hardest part. My mind keeps running ahead to the worst. Bring it back to today, and to you. Whatever the results say, you are still good and I am still yours. Give me peace while I wait, courage when the news comes, and wisdom for the next step. Surround me with people who will walk this with me. I place this outcome in your hands. Amen.
Scripture to pray with
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3 (BSB)
Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
James 5:13-16 (BSB)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds - He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion, who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:2-5 (BSB)
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (BSB)
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (BSB)
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (BSB)
Questions people ask
What is a powerful prayer for healing?
The most meaningful prayers for healing are honest ones. Tell God exactly what is wrong and how you feel, ask him for healing, and ask for strength, peace and wisdom for everyone involved in your care. Prayer is not a formula; it is trusting God with what you cannot control.
What does the Bible say about praying for the sick?
James 5:13-16 encourages anyone who is sick to call the elders of the church to pray over them, and encourages believers to pray for one another. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus shows deep compassion for people who are ill, and Christians have prayed for the sick ever since.
Should I pray for healing and still see a doctor?
Yes. Prayer and medical care work together, not against each other. Many Christians pray for their doctors and nurses as part of praying for healing, asking God to give them wisdom and skill. Please keep following professional medical advice while you pray.
How do I pray for a sick family member?
Pray for their body, their fears and their care team. Ask God to ease their pain, bring healing, give their doctors wisdom and surround them with love. Then pray for yourself too, for patience and strength. A short prayer prayed often is just as real as a long one.
Keep reading
A verse for how you feel, every morning
FaithGuide gives you a verse and a prayer for how you feel each morning, and a gentle prayer at bedtime. Free to start on iPhone and Android.
Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain.