“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16 NIV
When friends or family are hurting, it’s easy to think, “I wish I could do something to really help. I wish I could make the situation better, but at least I can pray.”
What if prayer wasn’t the least you could do, but the most you could do?
As Becky Keife wrote in The Simple Difference,
“Prayer is not our last resort. It’s our best first response.”
God’s Word invites us to pray continually. And it promises that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. That means when we are right with God — living surrendered to His will and receptive to His grace — then our prayers will be powerful and effective.
When someone we love is struggling (even if that person is yourself), the best thing we can do is take those concerns straight to Jesus. Then wait expectantly for what He alone can do.
Let’s practice this by praying together! Leave your prayer request in the comments and pray for the person before you.
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Thank you for the devotion on prayer. We all need to spend time in prayer and Bible reading every day. If we can. God like us to do that. Pray for the things he put in our hearts to pray about. God has given me for you all at incourage and everyone reading this. Jeremiah 29:11-13. How true they are to do with prayer especially verse 12 of Jeremiah 29. Love you all incourage in my prayers. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Pray… pray… pray… this has been occasionally for meand I am trying(like I have been again and again) I am dealing with a job change with a pay cut but I will be happier and my mental health and living with my mother who is an amputee.
Rebecca,
There is more to life than making tons of money. Your personal happiness, spiritual & mental health are just as if not more important. Asking God to give you wisdom to make the right choices regarding the job. I applaud you for helping out your mother. You will get stars in your crown for this! (someone told me that,, but I believe God was talking to me at the time).
Abba Father give a discerning heart & mind to Rebecca. Help her to realize that money isn’t everything. Guide and direct her path on this journey. Make it known to her that caring for her mom is just as important. She will reap the rewards in Heaven. AMEN
Blessings 🙂
My elderly mom has diminished sight and hearing and a bad back and feels like she is worthless. I ask for prayers for her that she finds peace and joy in her life now and in facing what’s to come.
Lord please be with this mother. Please help her to see that her worth is in you and that you made her wonderful
Also help the person who wrote this request to have the right words to say when they hear the words that hurt from their mom.
In your name amen
Jane,
Abba Father comfort Jane’s mom. Help her to find peace & joy in the life she’s living now. Make her know that she isn’t worthless. She can sit at home & pray for others. Send people to encourage & uplift her. Help her daughter who is caring for her. AMEN
Blessings 🙂
Exactly what I’m going through today- tried to console my daughter who’s getting hate messages and pressure at her school . She’s filled with anxiety and pain- I felt helpless until I read this great reminder.
Please pray for us for God’s wisdom, peace and his breakthrough in her situation.
Lord please remind this young girl that these people speak out of their feelings inside themselves. Teach er to pray for them and know that You don’t make anything bad and that these things that are said or written are lies from the devil and they are NOT true.
Please help her to see she is beautifully made in your image and you love her and will carry her through
In your precious name , amen
Prayers for a relationship with my daughter-in-law
Lord , please be with Lee and the relationship with the daughter in law. I know that can be hard. Everyone is raised so differently and that sometimes brings things that are hard to deal with. I know what that’s like and I pray that you will open up a relationship between these two that will be beyond anything Lee could imagine.
You want love and peace
Please help them to find that also
In your precious name , amen
Please pray for family discord and hurt feelings. Also, for a grandson and his impending divorce and alcohol problems. Lost family members are always in need of prayer.
Lord, please be with this family as they go through such hard times. I pray for peace and a breakthrough with in this family and with this grandson. I pray that he will stop drinking and focus on you and what you can do to make him feel better. Divorce is hard and ugly but you can bring good out of anything. Please heal these hearts and let them see you are with them
In your name , amen
pray for my son Ron; in deep despair.
Dear Lord, be with Ron and console him in his despair. Bring him the light of your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I very rarely pray for myself…my concerns are way down my list of important things. That being said…I need prayer right now! I’m suffering from debilitating sciatica pain that has stopped me in my tracks! I’m a very active grandma of 14 who helps everyone I come across. And now I can barely move from one chair to another. I’m waiting for test results to see what comes next but everything seems to be taking forever. So on top of pain relief I need patience – God’s time not my time!!!!
Dear Jesus help me!
I pray for relief from the pain! God you are the ultimate physician and healer. I ask that you heal my sister in Christ. Bring her comfort and patience while she is the patient! In Jesus name, Amen.
Lord,
I pray for answers and healing for Mary Frances
Stop her pain and give the doctors the ability to see how to make her feel better. Let nothing go unseen. Bring relief from the pain Lord she needs you to hold her tightly right now. Please don’t let there be anymore delays.
Show her you are there and that you care for her more than anything
In your precious name, amen
Mary Frances,
Father God you are Jehovah Rapha the God who heals. Send your healing touch to Mary Frances. Take away the sciatica pain. Allow her more mobility so she can once again help others. In the midst of waiting send her some friends to uplift & encourage her. AMEN
Blessings 🙂
My neighbor passed away on Friday. It was kind of sudden. He was diagnosed with lung cancer a few weeks ago and it progressed rapidly. He was a good neighbor and friend for 9 years and I’m going to miss him. Pray for his family and friends. I don’t know what kind of relationship he had with the Lord. When I’d leave for church on Sunday’s, if he was outside, he’d ask me to say a prayer for him. I always did. Every Sunday. This morning in church my heart was heavy knowing my neighbor and friend is gone.
I am sorry for your loss. The loss of a good friend and neighbor. I pray his family and you will feel peace, comfort and love as you learn to live with the hole he will leave in your hearts.
Dear h leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. From an Irish headstone
May God bless you all is my prayer for you. Elaine
Please pray for my niece Emmy. She has very bad headaches and very bad depression. He recently started struggling again with seizures. Struggling to find doctors who will help, not give up and will make her feel like life is worth living. It’s been going on a long time and no relief is of sight. Please pray for the right help to come along. We need a miracle for her. Please Lord, we need your help❣️❣️❣️
Thank you for joining with me to hold her up
Kelly
My husband passed away two and a half years ago. My family is now very divided. I have children whom have not spoken to me since then. I want my joyful, full of love life back but can’t seem to find it or what my purpose is supposed to be now.
Jesus, please be with and bless Elaine, my sister in You. I know this kind of hurt, am dealing with a child who isn’t in contact with me and with the loss of Your joy and peace in my life. Thank you Jesus for this opportunity to pray for Your love, peace and joy to once again fill and rule in Elaine’s life. I pray, too, that the children who have not interacted with her for these two and a half years will repent of their actions and will contact their Mom. In your strong and Holy Name, Jesus, Amen.
Please pray for my granddaughter who is dealing with trauma from sexual abuse by her mother, and for her father my son who is devastated because he didn’t know about it. They both need prayers for healing. Thank you.
Jesus, help this family live through this trauma. Cleanse and heal the mother. Heal the daughter who endured the abuse. Strengthen and heal the father/husband who feels so guilty for not realizing what was happening. Draw them all to Yourself, Jesus and heal them. Amen.
Please pray for our breakthrough to come suddenly
Firstly, I want to pray for all the people ahead of me with their comments of needing prayers. For whatever the need may be, healing, grief, comfort, hope, wisdom, etc. I pray the lord is with you in all of those needs and every moment in between. May you feel His mighty hand and loving presence.
I also come to comment on this post because I have a prayer request of mine own. I have been dealing with some health issues for the past 3 years. It’s a lot of random symptoms that just don’t seem to add up. I recently went back to my doctor and got some bloodwork done and received an answer that I wasn’t expecting. I’m thankful that there is some type of answer but it honestly leaves me with more questions.
So as I go in for more bloodwork soon and more doctors visits. I ask that you pray for healing and that I’m able to be calm in this confusing season. I pray for God’s healing, relief, guidance and strength to be upon me.
Thank you Lord.
Amen.
Becky……I feel inspired by your message. It is myself that is in a horrible situation and needs prayer. My husband with Dementia and my son who abandoned me as his mother as he said I mas lying to him. My husband is still in denial and it has been 6 years. My son has not spoken to me once in the past 14 months. His wife hates me and I have only one grandson who is thirteen and I have not been able to see or talk to him since 12/24/2022. They have thrown out ever card I have sent to my grandson by intercepting the mail so he would never see them. The last cards I sent were in 10/10/24, his birthday and there was a check in one of the cards for one hundred dollars for his birthday present. All they did was rip the cards up with the check and the check was never cashed. My heart is broken. They tell him then that I don’t care so they are brainwashing him to think I am evil. I am 76 years old and that is all the”family” I have. I do pray constantly, but maybe it is not on God’s timeline to do anything about it. I will continue to pray and I have been using the books you sent. They are helpful, but there are just some days that I don’t know what I did to be punished this way. Thank you,…………………..Betsy
Jesus, hold onto Betsy. Comfort her heart.
My husband and I went through a very similar situation from 2016 till the end of 2022 when our son finally contacted his dad and they, at least, are now seeing each other quite often. We also sent cards and money to our 3 grand children that we were told never arrived. Our
daughter-in-law still is not interacting with us, but just recently our son brought the grandkids, one at a time, to his get togethers with my husband. So things are changing slowly. God is acting.
I pray very deeply for you in this same sort of situation.
Betsy,
Dementia is a terrible disease. It can be a hard pill to swallow knowing you can’t do things you used to do.
Jesus come heal this family’s discord. Make the husband realize he has dementia. Send the Holy Spirit to mend the hearts of son’s family. Bring some peace to Betsy as she tries to keep the family together. She is getting worn out. Send people to encourage & uplift her. Do whatever it takes to bring the family together once again. Make them all see that dad has dementia & help them enjoy the time they have left. In Jesus Name AMEN
Blessings 🙂
Please pray for me as I am in dire need of a financial miracle. Holy Lord please bless all who have commented with a prayer request.
My prayer is for my brother to find meaningful employment that will pay him enough to more than cover his living costs but to flourish and start enjoying life again. I thank you Lord for his heart and his peace of mind during this period of drought and for the miracle that’s coming his way.
I’m asking for healing as I’m having pain in my right ear, I have fluid in the ear and it’s very painful. It has kept me in bed all day unable to take care of my family.
I’m asking God to take away your pain. In Jesus Name, Amen
I’ve been waiting for my husband to develop a closer relationship with Jesus. He gets excited at times and reads the Bible but then decides not to and spends his time doing other things.
Please pray for me, to heal my MS. I am experiencing a worsening at this time.
I pray that you find relief from MS. I understand what it’s like to like with a disease. I had epilepsy for 12 years. It was debilitating. God led me to a surgeon who was able to help me. I have been seizure free for 4.5 years. I pray that you too can find relief. God can do all things.
Please pray for my daughter that she can find the man that will serve God with her and for my son that he will find the woman that will serve God with him. They’re 30 & 36 YO respectively. They’re good successful people. She is a school counselor and he is a middle school principal. They don’t want to settle just to have someone. Thank you.
As a retired educator, I understand the gift of being in a supportive, loving, and faith filled marriage to undergird the daily joys and challenges of all which comes with being committed to children.
I’ve prayed for God to lead righteous people to each of your children.
I ask for fervent prayers for each of my adult sons to have their hearts and spirits healed to be able to move forward in all the peace and joy God has waiting for them. Thank you for your prayers.
Lord, I pray for these adult sons of Kathleen – you know the hurts that have happened in their lives, that have wounded their spirits. We know that you love these boys. We pray that you would bring healing to them – that today you would place someone in their path that would encourage them. Help these boys to release any fear, anger,disappointment, bitterness, that they may be holding onto. Help them to know how much You love them. You want them to be filled with your peace and joy.
Rena, thank you for your powerful prayer and insights into our situation. I haven’t seen my sons in 12 years and continue to believe and hope, only through the grace of God and through being encouraged by supportive, loving believers like yourself.
God bless you!
I ask for prayers, as we are starting the process of selling our home, and looking to down size. Prayers for wisdom in the process. Thanks.
I pray – divine favor of God to navigate you through this journey.
I pray – You Lord would just show off Your love for them in
unexpected ways.
I pray the altars in their home where You met with them daily will
greet the new buyers with Your Holy Presence. And if they do not
know You as Savior that Your Presence in that home would lead them
to You. Thank you Lord You have already prepared a place for them to
call home in a new house. AMEN
Dear Heavenly Father, Please guide Rena and family to a comfortable, new home where they can continue to thrive in this new stage of life. AMEN!
Father, thank you for helping me today make contact with Realtor and broker…for all the information they shared about this whole process.
Continue to guide us and give us wisdom.
prayer for my husband as he cares for his mom with dementia and step dad with congestive heart failure. I also am disabled so he cares for me too. he needs encouragement, strength , and the renewed power of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, be with Maureen’s husband..give him the strength.. physical and emotional…that he needs to care for his Mom and Step Dad. I pray his Mom will have moments of clarity, that they can enjoy a laugh.
I pray that your peace will flood the house.
Lord, I lift up Maureen’s husband to you. You word says that your yoke is easy, and your burden is light, so I pray right now that you would make all of this lighter for him. Give him the peace that surpasses all understanding, Lord. Allow your Holy Spirit to fill him overflowing with your power.
Please pray that God would cover me and protect me. I had a traumatic event earlier this month and I am struggling with anxiety and fear that this event may effect my life going forward.
Lord, please place your healing hands over Christine. Protect her and help her to feel your presence and peace surround her coming and going.
I currently have many different struggles in my life. I’m doing my best to trust and have faith, but some days it does get overwhelming.
Lord, you know Sandy’s struggles. I pray that she will feel your arms of love and protection around her. That you would give her wisdom as she deals with the struggles. I pray that your peace will flow over her, and calm her heart.
AMEN!
Lifting these concerns up in my prayers…asking God to guide you every step of the way! We can make it through the storms because God is with US! Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in EVERYTHING; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 CSB) – to honor the Lord, we must pray – May the Lord touch each quiet time with Him.
In Courage,
People don’t realize how powerful prayer can be. You don’t need to spend a lot of time in a room saying flowery words. Simple breath prayers will work. Inhale & say Jesus then exhale & say help me. You can pray in the car on the way to work or while taking a walk outside. Often times when I awake at night I will utter simple prayers. At the moment it’s the best thing I can do. God wants us to commune with Him.
Jesus you are our rock & solid foundation. You alone know the situations of everyone here. Jehovah Jireh provide for their needs-be it a job, money, family reconciliation, etc. Jehovah Rapha send your healing touch to all. Take away the aches & pains they have. Send people to encourage & uplift everyone. We all need a friend & you are the best one.
Blessings 🙂