My best friend Mary has been there for me through thick and thin. She has always had my back and I know I can count on her for anything. Recently, Mary has been going through a difficult time in her life battling illness. Seeing her suffer has been heartbreaking. I decided to pray for her, asking God to bring healing, strength and comfort during this season.
Why I’m Praying for My Friend
Mary means the world to me. We met freshman year of high school and have been inseparable ever since. She has seen me through break-ups, moves across country, job changes and more. Mary celebrated my accomplishments and encouraged me during failures. Our bond runs deep.
I still remember late night phone calls giggling about our latest crushes. Study sessions fueled by massive amounts of candy and caffeine. Road trips with the radio blasting as we sang along poorly but with gusto. Mary has filled my life with joy and laughter.
As true best friends do, we have also cried together. Hugging each other tightly after break-ups or deaths in the family. her presence got me through some incredibly painful moments. Mary shouldered my grief with empathy and care.
Now it’s my turn to be there for Mary as she faces serious health issues that have disrupted her quality of life. My heart hurts to see her sick and in pain. I feel powerless, but I realized prayer is the best way I can support her right now.
Why Prayer is Important
Prayer connects us to God. Through prayer I can bring my cares, worries and burdens to Him. I’m reminded I don’t have to shoulder life’s challenges alone because God promises to be with me even in the darkest valleys. As I pour my heart out, I experience God’s comfort, peace and hope.
Prayer also changes our perspectives. It shifts my focus from the problem to the Problem Solver. Instead of spiraling into fear about the situation, prayer positions my mind on God’s character – His complete love and unmatched power. Prayer fuels my faith in the one who holds all things together.
Additionally, prayer activates God’s power. When I pray in Jesus’ name all Heaven moves on my friend’s behalf. Prayer unleashes supernatural breakthrough that medical science can’t explain or produce. Prayer makes the impossible possible according to God’s will.
Finally, prayer unites believers. When I lift my friend to God, I tap into the greater Body of Christ praying together with one voice. There is exponential power when Christians join their faith. Agreement propels prayer efforts further.
I have seen the tangible effects of prayer in my own life and witnessed God’s hand move in response to prayer. I know prayer can change circumstances and most importantly, change hearts. Mary needs that supernatural intervention. My prayers for healing are just one part of the equation. Most importantly I’m praying for Mary to deeply know God’s comfort and love during this hard time.
Prayers for Healing
I begin my prayers by thanking God for Mary, for our sweet friendship and all she means to me. Then I present my specific requests to Him for her healing.
Physical Healing
- Complete healing and restoration of Mary’s body
- Elimination of the illness attacking her body
- Renewed energy, strength and stamina
- Minimal side effects from treatments
Emotional/Mental Healing
- Deep sense of God’s presence and comfort
- Confidence that God has not abandoned her
- Understanding that God is still good even when life is hard
- Peace about the future even with uncertainty over health
- Patience with the healing process
Spiritual Healing
- Childlike trust in God’s purpose and care through suffering
- Hope in God’s power to redeem pain for good purposes
- Eyes to see God’s subtle blessings amidst the chaos
- Greater hunger for God’s Word
- New ministry opportunities stemming from this trial
I always end my prayer stating full confidence that God will bring beauty from ashes, use this for good somehow and draw Mary even closer to His heart through the struggle.
Other Prayer Points
I also pray fervently for Mary’s medical team – her doctors, nurses, aides, pharmacists and lab technicians. I ask God to guide their diagnoses, grant wisdom about treatments and steady their hands performing procedures. I pray they provide excellent, thoughtful care treating Mary with dignity.
Additionally, I intercede for Mary’s family. I can only imagine the stress and grief her parents must feel seeing their daughter so sick. Siblings are affected too. Her grandmother traveling to help care for Mary also needs stamina despite her age. So I pray for peace and unity, for coping skills to deal with their worry and strength to weather each new storm as it comes their way.
Finally, I pray blessings over friends supporting Mary. Our sweet community has rallied around her with such kindness – driving her to appointments, taking turns at her bedside when admitted to the hospital, cooking meals for the family and so much more. I’m inspired by the love being poured out and it shows God’s tangible care happening through people.
Journaling My Prayers
As I continue to pray for my dear friend, I decided to journal my prayers since writing helps me process emotions. Recording my prayers allows me to track how God moves in response, noticing what answers come when. I want to rejoice over each miracle while still pleading boldly for complete healing. Journaling also ensures persistence in my petitions instead of giving up when answers seem delayed.
Here is an example of how I’m journaling prayer over the course of a few days:
Date: 5/20/23 Prayer Request: Successful surgery today to remove tumor Thanks: Thankful doctors caught this early enough for a good prognosis
Date: 5/25/23 Prayer Request: Quick recovery from surgery, minimal pain Thanks: Grateful surgery went smoothly, no complications Follow up: Still waiting to get biopsy results to determine next treatment steps
Date: 6/1/23
Prayer Request: Favorable biopsy report, wisdom for next treatment steps
Thanks: Mary is now home and gaining strength each day Follow up: Biopsy showed no cancer spread! Her outlook is good right now but further treatment still needed
Recording prayers throughout my friend’s healing journey serves as an encouragement when scrolling back to see previous breakthroughs. It also provides accountability to keep interceding and celebrating every milestone while still asking boldly for ultimate healing.
Praying Scripture Over My Friend
Another way I’m praying for Mary is through Scripture. God’s Word stands powerfully on its own, so when we pray Scripture we harness heavenly authority and promises. I’ve compiled some key verses I’m declaring over Mary as continual blessings spoken over her.
Verses for healing:
- “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” – Isaiah 40:29
- “I am the Lord who heals you” – Exodus 15:26
- “By his wounds you have been healed” – 1 Peter 2:24
Verses about God’s presence:
- “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” – Deuteronomy 31:8
- “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” – Psalm 46:1
Verses to build hope:
- “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” – Psalm 30:5
- “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” – Exodus 14:14
- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28
Verses about God’s character:
- “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
- “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” – Hebrews 6:10
Speaking Scripture over my friend roots her in truth to counter fear. God reminds her He will never waste this pain and suffereing. As a child of God, Mary can trust His purpose is to refine and redeem. I’m determined to bless my friend with words of life through this dark valley.
A Prayer Journal for My Friend
To support Mary’s emotional and spiritual journey, I created a prayer journal just for her as a meaningful gift. It includes carefully selected Scriptures, journaling prompts, space to write personal prayers and trace God’s answers over time.
My hope is this journal provides comfort while deepening her own prayer life throughout the healing process. It also serves as a keepsake to reflect on God’s faithfulness when she reaches full recovery.
Prayer Journal Contents
- Scriptures – Healing promises, verses about finding strength in God alone, passages recounting biblical stories of miraculous healings
- Quotations – Inspiring sayings from saints of old who endured suffering well due to their vibrant faith
- Journaling Prompts – Questions to unpack emotions, record spiritual lessons learned, express laments and frustrations, list prayers for the future
- Creative Expression Pages – Blank space to draw, paint responses to God or illustrate favorite verses
- Healing Timeline Pages – Tables to log specific prayer requests then track God’s answers over time
- Gratitude Journaling Pages – Space to notice and celebrate God’s subtle gifts amidst the chaos
- A Prayer for the Reader – Special words of Scripture truth spoken like a blessing over anyone who reads the journal
I covered the journal with Mary’s favorite Bible verse about God’s sustaining love. This personal gift marks my commitment to support Mary in every way possible on her road to restoration.
In Closing
My dear friend faces a long healing journey filled with doctors visits, challenging treatments, insurance claims, lab tests and more. Navigating something as scary and unpredictable as illness means Mary needs prayer now more than ever. I consider it an honor to continually lift my best friend up before our Healer Jesus, advocated for her needs in focused prayer. My faith stands firmly on His unchanging goodness. Despite how stormy life feels today, brighter days are coming. Morning joy arrives after this long night of weeping. Light shatters all darkness. The one who breathed health into creation’s lungs stands ready to make Mary whole again too. I believe this with unwavering confidence and will pray persistently until she is running, laughing and dancing once more.