A Prayer For A Friend Going Through Hard Times

In John 13:34-3, Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another and told them that it is by how they treat and love one another that the world will know they are His disciples. This command still applies to us this very day. While we are to preach the Gospel to people so they may know Christ, believe in Him, and repent, it is futile if we don’t love our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith in the first place. If we don’t love them, even believers will be discouraged from being part of the body of Christ. One of the ways we put love into action is by being there for our friends if they are going through hard times in life. So, if a friend or a fellow brother in the faith is experiencing times of difficulty, we pray for them.

Father in heaven, whenever a friend goes through hard times, use me as a vessel of Your mercy and comfort for my friend. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Called to be Compassionate

Being there for a friend who is going through difficulties in life is inherent for us Christians because as Christians we are God’s chosen ones—beloved and called to put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;). It is not an accident that the words “kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” are included. After all, being compassionate involves more than mere empathy.

 

Compassion, in its original Greek word, is “splagchnizomai.” In English, it means to be moved as to one’s bowels. Compassion is not just superficial empathy toward a friend going through rough days; it is a profoundly emotional and gut-wrenching response that moves us to action. So, we put such compassion into action by being kind to our friends. We are also humble, meek, and patient in spirit and temperament, just as Christ was gentle and lowly in spirit. 

We aim to be a balm to our friend’s heavily burdened soul. Therefore, let everything we do for our friend be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all your things be done with charity.).

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to have a tender and compassionate heart toward my friend. Help me comprehend how difficult are the things that my friend is currently facing. May such love and compassion for my friend be evident in action. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

A Friend That Sticks Closer Than a Brother

Why do we pray for a friend who is going through a challenging time in their life? It is because as believers whose goal is to glorify God and bear His image to others (Genesis 1:26-27), we make it our aim to be a faithful friend who remains closer than a brother in difficult times. When we stick to our friend through thick and thin, we are reflecting Christ toward our friend (2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.). In Proverbs 17:17, it is written that a friend loves at all times and that a brother is born in times of adversity.

As our friends experience difficulties in life, there are times when the best thing to do is to just be with them. Sometimes, we tend to jump right in by giving them advice or encouragement. While, indeed, there is nothing wrong with that, especially if we are giving biblical counsel and encouragement, there are also times when they just need someone to be with them and listen. In those times, what we could do apart from just staying with them is to keep mentioning them in our prayers and interceding for them (Philippians 4:6-7).

Praying for Our Friend

When we pray for our friend, the best source to draw upon concerning what to pray is the Bible. For example, if our friend needs strength as he or she goes through tough moments in life, Philippians 4:13 says that we can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. Therefore, you can use the passage to pray for your friend like this:

Father in heaven, I pray that in times of hardship, my friend will depend on You for strength and will continue to live a victorious and dynamic life through Christ Who strengthens him. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Another example: Let’s say you want to use Romans 8:28, which says that all things work together for the good of those who love God. You can apply it in praying for your friend in this manner:

Heavenly Father, remind my friend that in hard times You are still sovereign and You work all things in his life, whether good or bad, for their good. You always accomplish Your purposes, and no hardships can thwart Your plans. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Why do we draw from the Bible to get passages to pray for the benefit of our friend? It is because God’s Word brings us comfort in times of affliction as well, and the promises we find there give us life (Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.) . As we read those passages in the two sample prayers, we too are encouraged by those passages. So, when we use scriptures that are comforting and encouraging to address our friend’s situation, we pray those scriptures in a way that they can be applied to his or her circumstances.