How to Pray: When you Have no Words
There is too much pain in the world today. There is war in Ukraine. There are floods in my hometown of Brisbane, and that is just today’s news. The images and stories break my heart and leave me feeling helpless and traumatised, even though the pain is far away.
I believe in the power of prayer, but even then, words can escape me. What do we pray? We see the pain and hurt in the world; we see the news and watch as bombs explode and mothers flee with their babies in their arms. We hear the stories of desperate people and our heart breaks. But when we bow our heads before God, we have no words. Just hearts full of hurt and helplessness.
I know this feeling well. When I began working in my church as the Pastoral Care Pastor I encountered people on their darkest days, dealing with broken hearts, broken dreams and broken families. So often I would visit or call, hoping to encourage people and show support from the church, only to be speechless. Over time though, I learned how to pray for people who were dealing with unimaginable pain. I learned how to lift people with broken hearts to a God who knows, loves and heals.
What not to say
Firstly, here are some things NOT to say when seeking to encourage someone who is hurting.
1. “God never gives you more than you can handle.”
This isn’t in the Bible, it isn’t true and it isn’t helpful. We face things we can’t handle all the time. That’s why we need to rely on God.
2. “I know how you feel.”
No, we don’t know how people feel. Even if we have faced a similar situation, we can never really know.
3. “Everything happens for a reason.”
This may be true, but often we won’t find out the reason on this side of Heaven. In the midst of the pain, this isn’t very comforting.
What to pray
Rather, pray the character and promises of God. These are eternal truths that bring comfort and hope to those who are hurting.
1. Pray the presence of God
Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” We are never alone in our pain when we have a relationship with Jesus. We can always thank God for His presence and pray for others to become more aware of God’s presence with them.
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
—Matthew 28:20
2. Pray for God’s strength
In our weakness, He is strong. When we are hurting and feel particularly weak, we can pray for God’s strength to fill us to enable us to carry on.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
—2 Corinthians 12:9
3. Pray for God’s healing
God is a God who heals. Let’s not be shy in asking Him to heal broken bodies, broken hearts, and broken relationships.
“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.”
—James 5:15
4. Pray for miracles
When we pray for a miracle, there is something about acknowledging the power of God that lifts our faith beyond our present circumstances. Jesus invites us to pray in faith for the mountain to move.
“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”
—Mark 11:23
5. Pray for peace
Jesus came to give us peace. Not the peace the world offers that depends on our circumstances, but a peace that goes deeper than that—a peace that passes understanding.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
—John 14:27
6. Pray for wisdom and guidance
When we don’t know what to do, God invites us to ask Him for help to know what to do next.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
—Proverbs 3:5–6
7. Pray for provision
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus prayed, “Give us today our daily bread.” Jesus invites us to pray for God to provide our needs. Be aware though, God may also ask you to be the answer to this prayer.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:19
8. Pray for hope
When God is in the picture there is always hope. And when there is hope, it’s amazing what we can deal with. Hope is a shining light in the darkness of our pain.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
—Romans 15:13
I hope these verses give you words to pray over those you know and love who are hurting. I hope these verses fill your prayers for our broken world with faith and purpose.
If you are looking for further encouragement, look up each of these verses in your Bible and read the chapter they are from. I’ve pulled them out to list here, but there is a richness that comes from understanding the whole passage they are written in. As we learn more about who God is and what He is like, our prayers become more powerful and faith-filled.
When You Have No Words
There are times when we literally do not have any words for what we see and experience, and God is there for us in those moments as well. Sometimes we can just sit with God and allow our broken heart to rest in His healing hands.
“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
—Romans 8:26
God bless you as you pray.
