Praying for others

Praying for friends, what to pray and how to let them know

October 20, 2026 · 3 min read

Praying for friends, what to ask God for, Scripture to pray for friends going through hard times, and simple ways to tell them you prayed.

Praying for friends means bringing them to God by name, asking for what they need, and thanking Him for them. Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4, ESV).

How do you pray for your friends?

Praying for your friends starts with thanking God for them by name, as Paul did for his friends in Philippi. Then ask for one specific thing each friend needs, such as wisdom for a decision, healing, or that they would know Jesus. Pray for them on a regular day, and let them know you prayed, so they feel cared for and can tell you how to keep praying.

What to pray for your friends

Prayers for friends can cover their faith, their everyday lives, and your friendship itself:

• That they would know and love God more (Ephesians 1:17-18)
• For their health, their families, and their work
• For wisdom in decisions they’re facing (James 1:5)
• For joy and strength in hard seasons (Colossians 1:11)
• For your friendship to point you both to Jesus (Proverbs 27:17)

Praying for friends going through hard times

Praying for a friend who is sick, grieving, or struggling works best when you pray specifically. Ask God to carry them, to give them people who care for them, and to give them hope. Then do something. A meal or a text often comes alongside prayer.

For more, see how to pray for someone who is sick.

Pray for friends who don’t know Jesus

Praying for a friend who doesn’t know Jesus means asking God to draw them to Himself (John 6:44), and asking for chances to share your faith with kindness (Colossians 4:5-6). See how to pray for someone’s salvation.

What do you say when you pray for someone?

What you say to God when you pray for someone can be simple: their name, thanks for them, and one request. For example, “Lord, thank You for Ben. Give him wisdom in his interviews this week, and peace while he waits.”

What you say to the person afterward can be just as short. A few texts that work:

• “Hi Ben, I prayed for you today.”
• “I prayed for your interview this morning. How did it go?”
• “Praying for your mom’s recovery this week. How is she doing?”
• “I prayed for you today. Is there anything specific I can pray about this week?”

Let your friends know you prayed

A short text telling a friend you prayed can encourage them and open a real conversation. If they shared a need, mention it and ask how it’s going. Their answer tells you how to pray next time.

Pray for friends in The Pray App

The Pray App keeps your friends’ names on the prayer cards you pray for them. In a card, tap Praying for under Details and pick your friends from your contacts.

When you finish praying, the summary lists the people you prayed for. Tap the message button next to a name, and Messages opens with “Hi Ben, I prayed for you today.” ready for you to edit or send.

See who you prayed for, and text them in one tap.

Later, you can text any of them from Journey, under People You’ve Brought Before God. That message button opens Messages with their number, ready for you to write.

The Pray App is free on the App Store. See how to tag people and text them.