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When someone we love is ill, it can be hard to know what to say, even to God. A prayer for healing does not need to be long or perfect. This guide offers a simple structure and a few examples you can adapt, whether you pray at home or send your prayer to the Holy Land.
A simple four-part structure
1. Address God in the way that feels natural to you: "Lord Jesus", "Heavenly Father", "God of comfort".
2. Name the person and the need: "I lift up my father, David, who starts treatment this week."
3. Ask for what you hope for: strength, relief from pain, wisdom for the doctors, peace for the family.
4. Close with trust: "I place him in Your hands. Amen."
Example: for a parent
"Heavenly Father, I lift up my mother, Ruth, who is in hospital tonight. Ease her pain and calm her fear. Give the doctors and nurses wisdom and kindness. Help our family to stay patient and close. I place her in Your hands. Amen."
Example: for yourself
"Lord, I am tired of being sick and I am afraid of what comes next. Hold me today. Give me strength for the next appointment and rest tonight. Remind me that I am not alone. Amen."
Example: for emotional healing
"God of all comfort, heal the hurt I carry from the past. Free me from bitterness, and help me to forgive and to be forgiven. Make me whole again, one day at a time. Amen."
Sending a healing prayer to Jerusalem
Many people choose to send their healing prayer to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus himself prayed in a time of anguish. With Jerusalem Holy Prayer, your written prayer is printed, carried by hand to the site you choose and photographed.
Please remember: a prayer is never a substitute for medical care, and we do not promise any medical or spiritual outcome. You can find more examples on our Prayers for Healing page.
