Prayers for a friend in need

Scripture is chock full of power and truth that reminds us: despite current circumstances or difficulties, the LORD reigns! Whether you or a friend are in need of peace concerning national events, encouragement, hope, recognizing worth, or grace, here are 20 verses to remind you of God’s incredible promises.

FOR A FRIEND IN NEED OF PEACE CONCERNING NATIONAL EVENTS

1. Truth: We require the Lord’s leading in government.

Lamentations 4:17, ESV –  “Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save… (5:21) Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!”

2. Truth: To see national restoration, we must pray for our fellow citizens to know the love of Christ.

2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

3. Truth: Jesus is the true hope of the world.

Isaiah 40:3-4, ESV  “A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

4. Truth: Jesus’ mercy drove Him to act. The daughters of Zion were viewed as second class citizens, outcasts and not “good enough.” Yet these are the ones rescued by God’s immense compassion.

Zechariah 9:9-10, MSG – “Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion! Raise the roof, Daughter Jerusalem! Your king is coming! a good king who makes all things right, a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey. I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim, no more war horses in Jerusalem, no more swords and spears, bows and arrows. He will offer peace to the nations, a peaceful rule worldwide, from the four winds to the seven seas.”

FOR A FRIEND IN NEED OF ENCOURAGEMENT

5. Truth: You may feel in despair and abandoned, but the Lord has not forgotten your plight.

Psalm 38:9-10, ESV – “Oh Lord, all my longing is before you my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes – it also has gone from me… (15) But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”

6. Truth: The Lord Himself will comfort you in your sorrow.

Isaiah 49:13, ESV – “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.”

7. Truth: The Lord will produce signposts of His coming Kingdom by fighting specifically for those seemingly forgotten by society.

Psalm 82:3-4, ESV – “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked… (8) Arise, O God, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all the nations.”

8. Truth: We may wish to cry, scream, or become unhinged in our emotions, mind or spirit, but we can trust that His love will bring comfort.

Zephaniah 3:17 ,ESV – “’He will quiet you with his love.”

FOR A FRIEND IN NEED OF HOPE

9. Truth: The text states “sit” rather than “lie.” This is not one who is dead, with no hope of life, but rather one sitting helpless, unable to restore herself, waiting for the Lord to rescue. The one true God discovers His children sitting in dark obscurity and brings them into His marvelous light of Truth.

Micah 7:8-9, ESV – “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon His vindication.”

10. Truth: Declare the Lord your impenetrable fortress against any difficulty. Consider your heart and spirit locked securely in hope, surrounded completely by God’s truth.

Zechariah 9:12, ESV – “Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.”

11. Truth: The Lord is victorious; He will produce justice and joy in and through you.

Isaiah 29:19, MSG – “The castoffs of society will be laughing and dancing in God, the down-and-outs shouting praise to The Holy of Israel.”

12. Truth: Salvation is not found within ourselves and our strength, but only through God’s grace.

Jonah 2:6, ESV – “Yet you brought my life up from the pit… Salvation belongs to the Lord.”

13. Truth: Releasing your struggles to the Lord is absolutely freeing.

Psalm 73:21-28, MSG – “When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy, I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence. I’m still in your presence, but You’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then You bless me. You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful. Look! Those who left You are falling apart! Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again. But I’m in the very presence of God – oh, how refreshing it is! I’ve made Lord God my home. God, I’m telling the world what you do!”

FOR A FRIEND IN NEED OF RECOGNIZING WORTH

14. Truth: We are unique individuals, designed and known by an incredible Master Creator. Rather than spending our days comparing, we must get to thriving in the gifts God has granted us.

Galatians 5:25-26, MSG – “Since this is the kind of life we have chose, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.”

15. Truth: The Christian life is not a strict moral code to which we must adhere, but rather a lifestyle that produces freedom and joy as we fully receive the grace Jesus has offered us.

Galatians 6:18, MSG – “May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!”

16. Truth: The Lord is aware of our needs and is engaged with our desires. He carries those “pregnant” with a dream, and provides them nourishment to fulfill that which they carry within them (purpose, desire to do His will, etc.).

Isaiah 40:10-11, ESV – “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; he will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

17. Truth: When you face disappointment or concern, enter His presence, present your struggles, and give Him glory in your current season, even as you entrust Him with your future.

1 Samuel 1:9-11 MSG, “So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God’s Temple in the customary seat. Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, if you’ll take a good, hard look at my pain, if you’ll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I’ll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I’ll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.”

FOR A FRIEND IN NEED OF GRACE

18. Truth: Rather like a captain throwing items overboard to lighten or rid the ship of a load, the Lord is faithful to forgive your wrongdoings, ridding you of the weight, and setting your spirit and mind free to thrive in His gift of grace.

Micah 7:19, ESV – “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

19. Truth: Despite unworthiness you may feel, there is Real Life to be had in Jesus Christ. Through His grace, you can experience the beauty that comes with being in relationship with Him.

Ephesians 3:14-19, MSG – “My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by His Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite Him in. And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.”

20. Truth: We cannot save ourselves; however, He invites us to do the journey with Him. As we walk with Him, He will teach us to work not out of a checkmarked list to qualify for grace, but rather out of a heart submitted to His character. We will become like Him, and soon find ourselves passionate for doing Kingdom work such as loving our neighbor.

Ephesians 2:7-10, MSG –  “Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”

Julie Langford and her best friend (and husband) Andrew love living in Portland, Oregon where she enjoys practicing ballet, exploring outdoor adventures, and inventing a new kind of wheel (or enjoying reinventing the old one). You can learn more about her and Learning to Become at www.learningtobecome.com.

Publication date: July 13, 2016

www.crosswalk.com

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship
is to understand and be understood.
~Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Do you have that one special person in your life? Someone that you can confide in and tell them anything and you know your secret is safe with them? Most of us rely greatly on the company of true friends.

Friends help you through both the good and tough times on life’s journey. Try not to take them for granted and pray for them often.

Some people appear in your life
when you need them the most.
They love you and lift you up,
reminding you of the best, even when
you’re going through the worst.
These people are not just friends,
they are Earth Angels.

Anna Grace Taylor

Friendship is one of the best gifts in life and should not be taken for granted. Friendship can be tested at times, but with God’s help, friends can celebrate with you in good times, listen to you when you have a problem, and can support you through difficult times.

Locate specific friendship prayers or friendship quotes on this page by following these links.

Friendship QuoteA Friend’s PrayerPrayer for a FriendMessage for a Friend

Follow these links for more prayers, poems and quotes about friendship

The Gift of Friendship

Friendship is a priceless gift
That can’t be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
Than a mountain made of gold

For gold is cold and lifeless,

It cannot see or hear,
And in your times of trouble,
It is powerless to cheer.

It has no ears to listen

No heart to understand.
It cannot bring you comfort
Or reach out a helping hand.

So when you ask God for a gift,

Be thankful that he sends,
Not diamonds, pearls, or riches,
But the love of a real, true friend.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Friendship Prayer

I got down on my knees today,
And said a prayer for you,
For you are always in my heart,
And I often think of you,

I asked the Lord to send his Angels,

To protect my dearest friend,
I prayed that all the joy and happiness,
You have will never end,

I asked the Lord to comfort you,

When you are feeling blue,
And when you have a tear,
He’ll wipe away that too,

I asked the Lord to bless our friendship,

So our ways will never part,
For true friends always stick together,
For we’re in each others hearts.

~ Melinda Tanner

Friendship Prayer

Here is my favourite prayer for a friend, I think it speaks volumes, and those of my closest friends that I have chosen to send it to, have all been deeply touched by the words:

Prayer for a Friend

I will pray for you, my friend.
I will name you in my heart before God and ask all His blessing be upon you.
I will be concerned for your rising and your daily mood.
I will be sympathetic to your personal needs and desires in each day of your life.
I will wish you well in your learning, or your work, in your domestic round and your leisure.
I will think of you at the close of each day and pray that God’s peace be with you.
If you have been especially kind or helpful to me then I will make my gratitude known to you.
If you are in trouble or difficulty of any kind, or simply tired and worn down,
I will do all and anything I can to lift your spirits.
I will ache for you in your sorrows and disasters and rejoice with you in your joys and triumphs.
I will love and care for you as I love and care for myself.

~ Author unknown

A Prayer Among Friends

Help me, O God, to be
A good and true friend.

To be always loyal, and

Never to let my friends down;

Never to talk about them behind

Their backs in a way in which I
Would not do before their faces;
Never to betray a confidence or
Talk about the things about which
I ought to be silent;

Always to be ready to share

Everything I have;

To be as true to my friends

As I would wish them to be to me.

This I ask for the sake of You who are

the greatest and the truest of all friends,
For your love’s sake, Amen.

Among other wonders of our lives, we are alive
with one another, we walk here
in the light of this unlikely world
that isn’t ours for long.
May we spend generously
the time we are given.
May we enact our responsibilities
as thoroughly as we enjoy
our pleasures. May we see with clarity,
may we seek a vision
that serves all beings, may we honor
the mystery surpassing our sight,
and may we hold in our hands
the gift of good work
and bear it forth whole, as we
were borne forth by a power we praise
to this one Earth, this homeland of all we love.

~ John Daniel

The Miracle of Friendship

There’s a miracle called friendship
that dwells within the heart
And you don’t know when it happens
or when it gets a start…
But the happiness it brings you
always gives a special lift,
And you realize that friendship is
God’s most precious gift!

Christ in Friendship

This is my commandment,
that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this,
that someone lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
No longer do I call you servants,
for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does.
But I have called you friends,
for everything that I heard from my Father,
I have made known to you”.

John 15:12-15

Loving God, I pray for the grace to be a good friend.
May I be a gentle presence in the life of my friends,
ever willing to listen, to forgive, and to extend hospitality.
Remind me of the importance of friendship
so that I take the time to nourish these precious relationships.
I pray this in the name of Jesus,
who knew what it meant to be a good friend.
Amen

~ Proverbs 17:17

A Prayer for a Friend

Lord please give my treasured friend
Love and blessings without end.
Bring contentment in her life;
Comfort her in times of strife.
Always keep her safe, secure;
Let her path to You be sure.
Lord, I pray my friend will be
Close to You, eternally.

~ Joanna Fuchs

Religious Prayer

Dear God,
Please keep my family, friends
and loved ones safe.
Please watch over them always,
and let good health, happiness,
and good fortune befall them.
Amen!

I Said A Prayer For You Today

I said a prayer for you today
And know God must have heard
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He spoke no word.
I didn’t ask for wealth or fame,
I knew you wouldn’t mind.
I asked Him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that He’d be near you
At the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small,
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all.

A Prayer Among Friends

Among other wonders of our lives, we are alive
with one another, we walk here
in the light of this unlikely world
that isn’t ours for long.
May we spend generously
the time we are given.
May we enact our responsibilities
as thoroughly as we enjoy
our pleasures. May we see with clarity,
may we seek a vision
that serves all beings, may we honor
the mystery surpassing our sight,
and may we hold in our hands
the gift of good work
and bear it forth whole, as we
were borne forth by a power we praise
to this one Earth, this homeland of all we love.

~ John Daniel

You’ve Got A Friend

When you’re feeling stuck,
And don’t know what to do,
Remember you’ve got a friend right here,
That’s always there for you.

Whether you need a hand to hold,

Or someone to lead the way,
Don’t think for a second that you’ll impose
Because “Real Friends” are always there
To help you through the day.

Friends are the flowers in the garden of life.
They help you through times of trouble and strife.

There’s nothing like friends to make a heart sing.

True friends will share with you most everything.

They will not abandon you in times of need.

They aren’t overcome by envy or greed.

Friends are icing on life’s great big cake.

Real friends will give and allow you to take.

I don’t know how I would survive without friends.

The applaud my beginnings and mourn my sad ends.

Tell me, please tell me, what would I do.

If I didn’t have a garden full of friends just like YOU!

Thanks

Thanks to those who hurt me,
you made me a stronger person.
Thanks to those who love me,
you made my heart bigger.
Thanks to those who cared,
you made me feel important.
Thanks to those who showed concern,
you let me know that you care.
Thanks to those who left,
you showed me that not everything is forever.
Thanks to those who stayed,
you showed me the true meaning of friendship.
Thanks to those who entered my life,
you helped me become the person I am today.

Friendship Cross

May this cross be a reminder
of the beautiful friendship that I have been blessed with.
Remind us to carry one another when the load is too heavy.
Keep me ever mindful of the meaning of true friendship
and of Your presence in my life.

Friendship

A friend is like a tower strong,
A friend is like a joyous song
That helps us on our way.

When golden ties of friendship bind

The heart to heart, the mind to mind,
How fortunate we are!

For friendship is a noble thing;

It soars past death on angel’s wing
Into eternity.

God blesses friendship’s holy bond

Both here and in the great beyond;
A benefit unpriced.

Then may we know that wondrous joy,

That precious ore without alloy;
A friendship based on Christ.

A Friend’s Prayer

I don’t need your wealth; I need your warmth.
I don’t need your judgement; I need your forgiveness.
I don’t need your opinions; I need the truth.
I don’t need your lessons; I need your laughter.
I don’t need your personality; I need your purity.
I don’t need your entertainment; I need your presence.
I don’t need your knowledge; I need your wisdom.
I don’t need your recognition; I need your compassion.
I don’t need your acquaintance; I need your friendship.

~ Byrd Braggett

A Message for a Friend

My Wish for You

When you are lonely

I wish you love.
When you are down
I wish you joy.
When you are troubled
I wish you peace.
When things are complicated
I wish you simple beauty.
When things are chaotic
I wish you inner silence.
When things look empty
I wish you hope.

Prayer for a Friend

O Lord, Please bless our friendship
Our friendship is like a long steady soft rain.
It’s not so harsh that it will destroy.
Yet it is not so soft that it goes unnoticed.
Our friendship is growing in your grace.
Please bless our friendship, and keep it holy at all times.
Friendship is a gift from you, O Lord, and we thank you.
May our friendship always produce the fruits of the spirit.
And may the soft rain of our friendship nourish the heart forever.
I wish you inner silence.
When things look empty
Amen!

A Prayer for A Friend

This I pray for you, my friend – that you strive to be all that you can be, yet never become a copy of another.
That you realize your own unique qualities and all that makes you special.
That you open up your eyes to the beauty in each day.
That you reach out to others less fortunate than you.
That by giving you learn the joy of receiving.
That you let go of the sadness of the past, yet always remember the good moments.
That you learn to accept life as it is, even with its disappointments.
For life is meant to be enjoyed and at all times endured, but never taken for granted.
And I pray that you will be aware at all times that you are one special person, among all special persons.
And do the best you can.

~ Robin Morgan

A Prayer for My Friend

O God, source of all love and goodness,
as you have blessed my life
with the gift of a faithful friend,
so now, surround my friend with your grace,
your loving care and your protection.
May our friendship be a bond
which brings others closer to you
and gives glory to your holy name
Amen

Friendship Prayer

Dear God,
Please keep my family, friends
and love ones safe.
Please watch over them always,
and let good health, happiness,
and good fortune befall them.
Amen!

The Joy of Your Friendship

There are moments when all of us
can feel a certain emptiness,
can glimpse despair
and sense how dreadful life would be
devoid of meaning and purpose.

Perhaps that is what the disciples

experienced at your death.
And then, Lord the experienced anew
the delight of sharing with you,
and you calling them friends.

Yes, Lord, without you

life loses its meaning and purpose.
Without you our joys are short-lived.
For you are life itself,
and the meaning and purpose of life,
and your friendship is a treasure
like nothing else on earth.
Lord may I always know
the joy of your friendship.

Amen

Another Friendship Prayer

Dear Lord, With my whole heart I ask
That you look after my friends
Guide them in troubles
Lead them when lost
Give them your ear
When they just need to talk

Lend them a hand

When they’ve nowhere to turn
Show them a new road
When a bridge has been burned

Teach them to smile

When everything seems bad
And show them there is happiness
After all that seems sad

Dear Lord,

This is my prayer
I hope that every word you can hear
This message is from my heart
For my friends are so dear

Amen.

A Prayer for a Friend

Dear Lord,
If I could only be,
Worthy of one wish from Thee.
I would not ask for wealth or fame–
For I have more in Jesus’ name;
I would not ask for homes or lands–
My treasures lie in Jesus’ hands;
I would not ask for health or food–
For thou dost give me all that’s good;
But I would that I could see,
Just how the greatest friend to be
To one Thou’st given me to love,
Both here and in our Home above–
That, Lord, the love Thou hast given me
Might fill his life and soul, that he
Will never question, never fear,
My love for him is just veneer–
But man each time I clasp his hand,
Feel friendship true, and understand
That of Thy many gifts I see,
He is a precious one to me.

Amen.

Everyone Needs Someone

People need people and friends need friends
And we all need love for a full life depends
Not on vast riches or great acclaim,
Not on success or on worldly fame,
But just in knowing that someone cares
And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers-
For only the knowledge that we’re understood
Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good,
And we rob ourselves of life’s greatest need
When we “lock up our hearts” and fail to heed
The outstretched hand reaching to find
A kindred spirit whose heart and mind
Are lonely and longing to somehow share
Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware
That life’s completeness and richness depends
On the things we share with out loved ones and friends.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Prayer of Thanks for Friends

I want to thank you, Gracious Lord,
for the good friends you give me;
they are for me a priceless bounty.
Thanks to them, friendship is neither an abstraction,
nor a distant, almost impossible, dream.
I owe to your providence, Lord,
the possibiltiy of counting on
the constant help of friends.
Between me and them you have formed a solid bridge,
which can withstand all threats of destruction.
The happiness with which you have blessed us
enables us to enrich one another.
Lord, tehre was something astonishing,
almost mysterious,
in the way I met my friends;
it was always outside the expected pattern.
But you alone know the reasons
that drew us closer together.
This surprise and joy are refreshing,
and I experience them anew
at every step of my life.
Not all proved to be steadfast friends,
but I have to thank you
for the faithful ones.
I promise to do everything in my power
to deserve this precious gift
that you have reserved for me.
I ask you, Gracious Lord, to keep them safe in your hands,
for they are yours above all.
Amen.

Prayer of Friendship

You have blessed us, O God,
with the gift of friendship,
the bonding of persons
in a circle of love.
We thank you for such a blessing:
for friends who love us,
who share our sorrows,
who laugh with us in celebration,
who bear our pain,
who need us as we need them,
who weep as we weep,
who hold us when words fail,
and who give us the freedom
to be ourselves.
Bless our friends with health,
wholeness, life, and love.
Amen.

Irish Toast To Friendship

There are good ships,
and their are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships are friendships,
And may they always be.

May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty

An Irish Prayer for You

May the Good Lord smile upon you
and bless you every day;
May His love and grace surround you
and shelter you, I pray;
May your days be filled with laughter
and the joy of many friends;
May God bless you with His mercy
and peace that never ends.

An Irish Prayer

May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow.
For every tear, a smile.
For every care, a promise.
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
a faithful friend to share.
For every sigh, a sweet song,
and an answer to each prayer.

My Friend

“Don’t walk behind me;
I may not lead.
Don’t walk in front of me;
I may not follow.
Just walk beside me
and be my friend.”

Do you have any suggestions or additions to this page of Friendship Prayers?
please submit your favourite poem about friendship.

Why not also visit friendship poems?

Friendship Quote

The true friend is the one who’s coming in the door while everyone else is going out. Friends are the ones who love you when you’re hard to love, stand by you when it’s not the popular thing to do and are there for you when you need it, even if it means they don’t get anything back.

A friend will strengthen you with his prayers, bless you with his love, and encourage you with his hope.

There is nothing on this earth to be prized more than true friendship. ~ St Thomas Aquinas

poem4today.com

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