Praying for a Friend: with long term illness

Praying for friends with long-term illnesses can mean the world to your friend. She needs someone who will uplift and encourage her through the length of months and, yes, even years.

Having a friend with a long-term illness matures us. Most friendships are two-sided. It is a give and take, but when our precious friend has a severe medical setback, they have nothing to give. It takes all they have to manage their lives. They may need more of you then they needed ever before.

At times, we may feel helpless because their needs are so tremendous and grief is so deep that it’s hard to know how to help or even how to pray. 

As the Bible says, A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 ESV

Prayer for Friend with long-term illness:

Dear Jesus, My dear friend needs you. This physical need is making her life difficult to manage. She’s in pain or discomfort and needs your healing touch. Give her the best medical attention and solutions this week. Help her to cast her anxiety on you. Meet her daily needs. Please show me what I can do or say to help her. In Jesus name, Amen.

Encourage your friend

In the Bible, Job went through a series of crises. He lost businesses and all his children at the same time. Then, if that weren’t bad enough, it is thought that he had Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome, which is a rare genetic disease. It causes problems with the skin, sinuses, lungs, bones, and teeth. Job’s life was filled with pain and misery. He had friends, right? Well, his friends were having difficulty keeping their opinions to themselves and judged their friend incorrectly.

Let’s not judge our friend incorrectly. Let’s choose to love our friend even when you think the long-time illness could be averted. In our society, we don’t assume sickness is a result of sin, but we do believe that diet, exercise, relationships, and stress are. And they may be, but is that what your friend needs to hear? So, let’s think about what would be helpful.

 Let every bad word not proceed out of your mouth, but if there is something good for edification of the need, speak in order that it may give grace to the ones hearing. Eph. 4:29 DLNT

Things to do for your friend:

• Write a note, text, email
• Send flowers, or if you live close, bring flowers
• Bring a meal, homemade, take-out or restaurant
• Offer to take them to a doctor’s appointment or series of doctor appointments
• Offer to clean their home for a bit during a visit
• Take their animal for a walk. 
• Ask if they want you to put them on your church’s prayer list.

Things to pray for for your friend:

• Pray for their illness or physical issues.
• Pray that your friend will be patient through the healing process.
• Pray for your friend’s immediate family concerning strength, wisdom, and endurance
• Pray for peace in a stressful time physically, relationally, and financially
• Pray for your friends’ doctors, nurses, caregivers, hospital, and anyone caring for them. 
• Ask God to comfort and guide the family in this time of crisis.

It can be hard when illnesses linger to stay positive and helpful. One thing to remember is that you are her friend, not savior. You don’t have to do everything. Consider your own family and your health. Discuss with your mate how you can help with the skills, time, and resources your family can provide. Be sensitive because sometimes your friend needs a friend who is there to listen and pray. But if there is a practical need then a good question to ask is, “How can I help?” This helps you find out what she thinks you would be helpful at. If she had needs, you can bet she’d been thinking about each friend and relative and wondering if they could meet that need. 

In conclusion, remember that God uses rest to heal bodies. For our once-able-bodied friends, this is one of the hardest things for them to face: the great need to rest more than they ever have in their lives. This is an adjustment, but you can come along side them in it by praying for healing rest. 

Other Praying for Friends articles:
Praying For a Friend Who’s Hurt You
Praying for Friend s: Who are going through Divorce
Praying for Friends: When they move away
Praying for your Friend’s Daughters

Updated: 1/12/26