The Bible gives us so many beautiful verses we can use to lift up the people we love before the Lord. If you’ve ever wondered about more specific ways to pray for your friends and family, Scripture gives us wonderful guidance. In this post, I’m sharing seven simple ways to pray for the people you love, using prayers straight from God’s Word.
I have been blessed with lifelong friendships, and they fill my life with so much joy, laughter, and encouragement. One of these groups of friends is from my college days. They all live far away from me so that I don’t get a chance to just pop over for a cup of coffee or a walk around the neighborhood. We do text and chat on the phone, though, and we have an annual reunion. These touch points help us stay connected across the distance.
Even as we stay in touch, we don’t do a lot of gift giving, but one of the most beautiful gifts that I too often forget about is the gift of prayer.
This year, I’ve dedicated some of my prayer-time to each of these friends. Each week I focus on one friend and then repeat the list over and over. I sometimes struggle to know exactly what to pray for unless they’ve reached out with a specific request. I often feel like my prayers are too routine, like “Lord, bless her with whatever she needs today.” And so on. Not that there is anything wrong with this! God hears our prayers, no matter what words we choose to use. He does not require a creative approach to prayer. But the Holy Spirit has led me to start praying specific prayers from God’s Word for them and for my other loved ones. Perhaps some of you need this encouragement too.
7 Ways to Pray for Your Friends and Family
Here are the requests and verses which I pray over my friends:
- Pray that they hunger for God’s Word: Psalm 1:1-2
- Pray for their protection: Ephesians 6:10-18
- Pray for love: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
- Pray for joy: Psalm 5:11-12
- Pray for a strong church community: Hebrews 10:24-25
- Pray for courage: Joshua 10:25, Psalm 27:14
- Pray for contentment: Philippians 4:11-13
Keep reading for a more in-depth look at each of these ways to pray for your friends and family. Sometimes I will insert a name in the verse. Other times, I will let the Holy Spirit guide my prayer in more specific directions. This list can be used on a weekly rotation, so you will begin to remember, “It’s Sunday and I’m praying for hunger for God’s Word!” Or you can use this however it suits your prayer rhythms.
#1. Pray That They Hunger for God’s Word
This is a prayer I pray for myself – that I would hunger for God’s Word more than I hunger for anything else. This is a beautiful prayer to lift up for my friends.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2
#2. Pray for Their Protection
The arrows of life, the devil, and the world can be relentless. I pray for my friend’s body and soul to be protected by God. This is such a beautiful thing to pray for everyone.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV
#3. Pray for Love
It’s a beautiful thing to pray for marriages, families, and relationships that there would be an abundance of love that looks like God’s love for us – sacrificial, generous, and merciful. I pray that my friends are surrounded by loving communities as well.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV
#4. Pray for Deep and Lasting Joy
I pray for real joy to fill her heart, the kind of joy that comes from imperishable things not worldly entertainment.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11-12
#5. Pray for a Strong Church Community
Some of my friends have moved and are struggling to find a new home church. I pray that they would find and maintain this key part of any faith journey, a healthy Bible-believing church with a wise pastor. I pray that they would be surrounded by a community of believers to strengthen them when they are weak, to lift them up, and to fill them with God’s Word.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV
#6. Pray for Courage
Sometimes I use this word without really understanding it. What is courage? This is what it takes to do something that frightens us. Okay, recently we stayed at a condo in the south and a huge cockroach scurried across the kitchen counter. Eeeek! I had zero courage or desire to find and destroy that thing, mostly because I could enlist my sweetheart. So when I pray for courage for friends or family, I pray for the really scary and difficult things, whatever is frightening her today whether it’s a difficult conversation, a doctor’s appointment, a work challenge, or a big move.
“Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous.”
Joshua 10:25 ESV
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14
#7. Pray for Contentment
I love to pray this for friends because we never really know what’s in someone’s heart, do we? I can see their smiles and read about their fun activities in retirement, but unless I have a one-on-one conversation with her, I won’t know. So I pray for this. True contentment is feeling at rest with where we are and what we have. It’s not being envious or longing for something different. It’s not thinking I need to be _____-er. Fill in the blank with whatever you want. Pretty. Thin. Rich. Happy. Smart. Young. Successful. It’s knowing that you are enough in Christ. I think this prayer is such a beautiful pray for so many
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
Pray Always
Paul writes in his letter to the Thessalonians to encourage those new Christians and to encourage us thousands of years later. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). There are so many ways we can build one another up, but especially when distance separates us, prayer is a beautiful way to do this. “Pray without ceasing,” Paul writes (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
This list of ways to pray for friends and others could go on and on to include prayers for patience, gratitude, health, hope, trust and more. You can pray these prayers aloud, in writing, or using visual prayer. May this list be one simple way for you to begin a fruitful prayer practice for your friends.
So now that you have a list of ideas for how to pray for your friends, if you are like me, you may wonder how you’ll ever remember all of this. Here are a few suggestions:
- Write the key words and the Bible verse on an index card that you insert in your Bible or prayer journal.
- Create a card for each word and verse, punch a hole, and insert a ring. (I borrowed this idea from Visual Faith® Ministry. You can check out their prayer cards which are free to download here.
- Download this bookmark which is ready for you to print, cut, and keep in your Bible.
Pin 7 Ways to Pray for Your Friends and Family for later!
