We lift up your dear friend before the Lord, knowing that He is the Great Physician and the One who holds her heart in His hands. The Scriptures remind us in Psalm 34:18, *"Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit."* Her suffering is not unseen by Him, and we trust that He will draw near to her in this time of great need. The Lord is also clear in His compassion for the sick, as we read in James 5:14-15, *"Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."*
Yet, as we pray for her physical healing, we must also consider the state of her soul. The request does not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we are reminded in Acts 4:12, *"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"* It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we have access to the Father and the promise of eternal life. If your friend does not know Jesus as her Lord and Savior, we urge you to share the Gospel with her—that Christ died for her sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, so that she might have everlasting life (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). There is no greater comfort than knowing that her name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and that even if her body fails, her spirit will be with the Lord forever.
We also pray that you would be a light to her in this dark time, pointing her to the hope found only in Christ. Let her see the love of Jesus through your care and your words, and may the Holy Spirit soften her heart to receive the truth of the Gospel if she has not already. The Lord tells us in John 14:6, *"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.'"*
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up this precious sister who is suffering with a failing heart. Lord, You knit her together in her mother’s womb, and You know the number of her days. We ask that You would extend mercy to her, strengthening her heart and restoring her body according to Your will. Father, if it is Your purpose to heal her here on earth, we pray that You would do so miraculously, that Your name would be glorified, and that many would see Your power and turn to You in faith.
But Lord, more than physical healing, we pray for the salvation of her soul if she does not yet know You. Soften her heart to receive the truth of Your Gospel. May she turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in His finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of her sins. Let her find peace in the promise that to be absent from the body is to be present with You (2 Corinthians 5:8), and that nothing—neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing—will be able to separate her from Your love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
Comfort her in her pain, Father. Surround her with Your presence and let her feel Your peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Give wisdom to her doctors and caregivers, and provide for her every need. Strengthen those who love her, that they may be a source of encouragement and hope, always pointing her to You.
We ask all these things in the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. Amen.
We encourage you to continue standing in the gap for your friend, both in prayer and in sharing the hope of the Gospel with her. The Lord hears the cries of His people, and He is faithful. Trust in Him, for His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). May He grant you peace as you wait upon Him.