The Body of Christ: How Others Can Pray for You When You Can’t

What if you desperately need prayer, but can’t seem to pray for yourself? Here’s encouragement to find prayer support from the sisters in Christ around you!

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16

“Praying for your broken heart and Him to be SO near. This morning I’m praying Psalm 27 for you…“

This is the text message I woke up to recently. Written by a dear friend who lives far away, but who somehow manages to keep close in heart…and prayer.

And it’s impossible to describe how comforting it was to hear she was lifting me up that day.

It’s not that I didn’t want to pray about my situation, but that I was having the hardest time finding the words—let alone sorting through the pain and many conflicting emotions that went with it.

So you can imagine the relief it was to know that someone who deeply cared about me was doing what I could not in that moment.

She was holding me up in prayer.

And I’ll be forever grateful for that friend who prayed for me, over me, and with me.

When We Can’t Pray

Have you ever had a time when you didn’t know how to pray? Didn’t know if you even could pray?

Maybe you felt guilty that you were struggling to pray when it’s what we’re “supposed” to do. And while it’s true that we are to pray about “all things,” it’s also true that God has compassion on us when we find ourselves in a place where we don’t know what to say.

And that’s where the body of Christ comes in.

As believers, we have both the privilege and the responsibility to lift one another up in prayer.

And, as believers, we also get to communicate our needs and heartaches to the other saints around us.

When you stop to consider it, if I hadn’t shared with that sister in Christ what I was going through, she couldn’t have known what to pray—or even to pray at all.

So sister, can I encourage you to be bold about asking for prayer when you need it? Maybe it’s a sensitive issue that only a few would understand and know how to pray. Or perhaps it’s something your entire church body should be lifting up!

Either way, remember God never intended for us to carry our burdens alone.

In His Word

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Colossians 1:9 (ESV)

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

In Your Life

Is there something heavy on your heart right now? Stop to think if there’s someone in your life that you can ask to pray for you. Maybe you’ve been hesitant to ask, but you might be surprised at how willing others are to lift you up, if they only knew the need.

Take a few moments to consider if there’s someone you should be praying for—even if you don’t know the specifics. It’s possible you should only quietly pray. But it’s also possible that they would be encouraged if told them you’re lifting them up. (Several people messaged me in my difficult time to let me know they were praying for me and it meant so much for me to hear it!)

If you have someone who is your “prayer warrior,” then take a minute to tell them how much you appreciate their prayer ministry in your life!

We Recommend

Do you need encouragement in your marriage? Matt and Lisa recently shared their hearts for a loving marriage on The Huckabee Show.

You can check out their 100 Ways to Love books which offer wives who want to love their husbands and husbands who want to love their wives practical, hands-on advice to start applying immediately.

Let’s Connect

Join Lisa and her husband, Matt, as they cohost FAITHFUL LIFE, a weekly podcast focusing on what it means to be a biblical Christian in marriage, parenting, church, and culture. You can also connect with Lisa on Instagram for more biblical encouragement!