Holy Bible: Faith VersePrayer for healing: 7 prayers for body, mind and heart
By Sophie · October 21, 2026 · 5 min read
When you or someone you love is sick, the right words can be hard to find. A short prayer gives your worry somewhere to go and reminds you that you are not carrying it alone.
Below are seven prayers for healing you can pray as written or make your own, each paired with a verse. Praying for healing goes hand in hand with good medical care: keep seeing your doctor, and keep praying.
What the Bible says about praying for healing
Healing was at the center of Jesus' ministry. Matthew sums up His travels this way:
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
The early church kept praying for the sick, and James tells believers to ask for that prayer:
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Scripture also speaks of healing that no scan can measure: the healing of grief, fear and a broken heart.
1. A prayer for healing for yourself
Lord, You know my body better than I do. You see the pain, the tiredness and the fear that comes with it. I ask You to heal me. Give wisdom to those who care for me, rest to my body and peace to my mind while I wait. I put my life in Your hands. Amen.
“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.”
2. A prayer for a sick friend or family member
Father, I bring You someone I love who is sick. Be close to them today. Ease their pain, strengthen their body and calm their fears. Guide their doctors and nurses, and show me how to help. Amen.
“The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.”
3. A prayer before surgery or treatment
God, I am anxious about what lies ahead. Steady the hands of the surgeons and give clear judgment to everyone in the room. Hold me while I cannot hold myself, and let me wake up knowing You were there all along. Amen.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
4. A prayer for healing of the heart
Lord, some wounds do not show. Grief, worry and old hurts weigh on me more than I admit. Come near to my broken heart. Heal what I cannot fix, and teach me to rest in Your love again. Amen.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
5. A prayer for recovery
Father, thank You for every sign of progress, even the small ones. Keep restoring my strength day by day. Give me patience with my body and courage for each step of recovery. Amen.
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.”
6. A prayer when healing is slow
Lord, I have asked You for healing and I am still waiting. I do not understand Your timing, and I am tired. Give me grace for today. Where I am weak, let Your strength carry me, and do not let me lose sight of You. Amen.
Paul knew this kind of waiting. He asked God three times to take away what he called a thorn in the flesh, and the answer he received was “My grace is sufficient for thee”:
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
7. A prayer of thanks for healing
God, thank You for hearing me. Thank You for the care I received, for the people who stood by me and for the strength that came back. Let me never forget what You have done, and use my story to give hope to someone else. Amen.
“O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”
How to pray for someone who is sick
- Ask before you pray. Ask what they would like you to pray for. The answer is often more specific than you expect.
- Keep it short at the bedside. A sick person tires quickly. A few sincere sentences mean more than a long prayer.
- Keep praying after the visit. Set a reminder and pray for them each day, and let them know you are doing it.
- Pray with your hands too. A meal, a ride to an appointment or an hour of company can be part of the answer to your prayer.
For more Scripture to read with someone who is sick, see Bible verses about healing and Bible verses for comfort.
Holy Bible includes prayers for healing that it can read aloud, and puts a verse on your Home Screen each day.
Questions
What is a powerful prayer for healing?
A prayer for healing is powerful when it is honest. Tell God what hurts, ask Him to heal, and place yourself or the person you love in His care, as in the first prayer above. Jeremiah 17:14 is a short prayer you can pray just as it is written.
What does the Bible say about healing?
Jesus healed every sickness and every disease (Matthew 9:35), James tells the sick to ask for prayer (James 5:14-15), and Psalm 147:3 says God heals the broken in heart.
Should I still see a doctor if I pray for healing?
Yes. Prayer and medical care work together. Luke, who wrote a Gospel, was a physician, and caring for the sick is one way God answers prayer.
Why are some prayers for healing not answered the way we hope?
The Bible does not hide this. Paul prayed three times for relief and received grace instead (2 Corinthians 12:9). God promises His presence in every illness, and many people find that His help came in a form they did not expect.
