Prayer for a Friend Going Through a Hard Time: When You Don’t Know What to Say

When a friend is going through something hard, the helplessness can feel overwhelming. You want to fix it. You can’t. You show up, say the wrong thing, and feel useless anyway.

But you can pray. And that matters more than you might think. Here are two honest prayers for a friend going through a hard time — and a few words of scripture to hold onto.

A Prayer for My Friend Who Is Hurting

Lord, my friend is going through something really hard and I don’t know how to fix it. I can’t take their pain away. I can’t make it better.

But I can pray. So I’m asking You to hold them when I can’t. To comfort them when my words fall short. To surround them with people who love them and remind them that they’re not alone.

Please give them strength for today and hope for tomorrow. And let them feel Your presence — especially in the moments when everything feels too heavy. Amen.

A Prayer for a Friend Who Is Grieving

Lord, my friend lost someone they love and I don’t know how to help. Every word I say feels inadequate. So I’m bringing them to You instead.

Please hold them in their grief. Let them feel the love of the people around them. Remind them that grief isn’t a sign that their faith is weak — it’s a sign that love was real.

And when the silence is too loud, let them hear from You. Let them know they are not forgotten. Amen.

What the Bible Says About Carrying Each Other’s Burdens

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Showing up — even when you don’t have the right words — is one of the most meaningful things you can do. And praying for someone, even silently, is never wasted. You don’t have to fix the situation to be a good friend. You just have to show up and bring them to God.

More Prayers for the People You Love

The Say a Little Prayer app has prayers for every difficult moment — grief, anxiety, illness, hard conversations, and more. Share a prayer with a friend today.

Download Say a Little Prayer free on the App Store →