How to Pray & Prayer for Someone Having Surgery

Looking for a prayer for someone having surgery?

One Saturday night in early June 2019, I nicked my middle finger on a just-washed glass that broke when I stacked a dish atop it. Clean glass. Clean hand. Bleeding was minimal but I covered the wound with a Band-Aid and went about my evening with no worries about the puncture.

By morning, my finger was red, swollen, and painful. I was scheduled to help with a meal at the church after the morning service, so I arrived early and asked the first person I saw, an elder, to pray for my hand.

Before I left church that day, the redness and swelling extended into the palm of my hand. I took acetaminophen for the pain in my hand and prayed for healing.

The next morning, my entire palm was red, swollen, and beginning to extend into my other fingers. I could barely move my finger so I called for an appointment with my physician.

Because it was the first day of Vacation Bible School and I was the mission teacher I wanted antibiotics and a recheck a few days later. Instead, I was referred to a hand surgeon, told to cancel all international travel, and scheduled for urgent surgery the next day.

I had far too much going on to deal with hospitalization and an operation. Or so I thought. Horses. Dogs. Ministry. Teaching VBS. Responsibilities. I argued, begged, finally relented. Surgery was scheduled. As a physician, I knew surgery never comes with guarantees especially if severe infection is already present. I went into overdrive to recruit people to pray for me. I wanted comprehensive prayer about everything that concerned me and the surgery.

Looking to get “anchored” in prayer? Try this resource here!

How to pray for someone having surgery:

For someone unfamiliar with the world of medicine and surgery, prayers for someone having surgery can be daunting. If you’ve never experienced surgery, you may not have any idea what to expect, much less what to ask God.

To begin, consider the person having surgery, their family, employment, insurance coverage, and other responsibilities. Who will cover for them? How will their finances hold up? Keep reading to learn five areas to include in your prayers.

Find this beautiful healing prayer bracelet  Five areas to include in your prayers for those who are facing surgery:

Prayers for patient and family:

As you pray for the patient and their family, consider the patient’s usual responsibilities. Who depends on them? How will surgery affect their role as caregiver, parent, spouse, employee, wage earner?

• Both patient and family need prayers for peace, rest in advance of the surgery, and wisdom for the post-op period.
• Prayers for the patient’s areas of responsibility (home, family, pets, work) to be covered
• Prayers for caregivers after surgery
• Prayers for employment to be secure and insurance to cover the expenses of surgery, medication, and therapy

Prayers for the surgical team (surgeon, nurses, scrub techs, anesthesiologist/anesthetist):

As you pray for the surgical team, consider the factors likely to influence their ability to focus completely on the patient and the procedure. What could go wrong? What needs to go right?

• Restful night’s sleep for the entire surgical team
• Peaceful morning for the team (you don’t want a preoccupied surgeon, anesthetist, or scrub tech)
• Prayers for wisdom as they work, quick response to any difficulties that arise, and clear focus on the matter at hand

Prayers for the procedure:

Surgery involves more than the incision and closure. The procedure itself, whether removing a tumor, stabilizing a fracture, repairing a heart valve, or any of the countless possible surgeries, involves people, instruments, medications, anesthesia, and the patient’s bodily functions. A complication-free procedure requires all the elements to work together.

• Prayer that everything needed will be quickly at hand
• Prayer that no vital instrument is dropped or contaminated as the tech passes it to the surgeon
• Prayer for no problems with the anesthesia and that all equipment will work properly
• prayer for correct medications to be administered appropriately
• Prayer for all body organs to function normally throughout the procedure

Prayers against complications:

Things happen. Whether in life outside the hospital or inside the operating room, if it can happen, it sometimes does. We do well to pray against complications.

• Pray for no complications from anesthesia
• Prayer for no excessive blood loss, inadvertent puncture or laceration
• prayer for no infection
• prayer for an accurate count before and after the surgery (instruments and sponges)
• Prayer for no reactions to medication or anything used during the procedure

Prayers for recovery:

The surgical experience doesn’t stop when the last staple is placed and the patient is rolled out of surgery. Recovery from surgery is often the most challenging part. From post-operative pain to rehabilitation and return of function, the challenges increase in the days following surgery.

• Prompt healing of the wound
• Full return of function and range of motion
• No loss of stamina
• No infection
• Easy pain control without any long-term pain medication issues

Does God answer prayers for surgery?

Yes. God hears and answers our prayers, whether for the salvation of a lost soul or a smooth surgical procedure of an ailing friend. He requires faith in the One to whom we pray, prayers according to His will, and confidence that He not only hears but will answer.

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15

What did my friends pray for me? All of the above. How did God answer? I didn’t avoid surgery, but I made it through with an excellent result, a barely visible scar, and, after weeks of physical therapy, a good return of function.

I spent less than twelve hours in the hospital. No complications. Minimal pain. I didn’t cancel my international travel. Instead, less than a week post-op and with sutures still in place, I traveled to Nottingham, England as part of a mission team and didn’t miss a beat.

Did everything turn out perfectly? Mostly. I can make a fist again but I can’t snap my fingers with my right hand anymore. I wasn’t a very good snapper before surgery so it wasn’t much of a loss. Overall, it was a small price to pay for something that could’ve been so catastrophic.

Short Prayer for someone having surgery:

Dear God, We thank you that you are our Healer and you care about all things that concern us. We ask you to be with _____ as they go into surgery and fill them with peace and hope. Be with the surgical team and all those who will interact with ____. May they be rested and fully focused on the surgical procedure. We pray against interruptions, distractions, mistakes, and adverse reactions to medications or anesthetics. Grant a speedy recovery and good pain control with full return of function and no complications. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

What about you? Have you experienced answered prayers for surgery? How did God move? I’d love to hear your story so feel free to comment at the end of the article.

Related Articles

• Powerful Answered Prayers (+10 Real Life Examples)
• 3 Crazy Simple Secrets to Developing a Prayer Strategy

FAQ’s

How do you pray for someone going into surgery? 

There is no one right way to pray for someone going into surgery because God knows what is truly on your heart. He knows before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8). So the best way to pray for someone going into surgery is to pray what is truly on your heart.

For example, if you’re nervous, tell Him! Then ask for Him to remove the nerves and replace them with God’s truth. Finding Bible verses about anxiety and digging into God’s Word can help with that. 

Overall, pray for anything that you are feeling, then find the best truth of God’s Word to help you through the time.

What do you say to someone that is having surgery that is religious? 

When someone is having surgery, ask them how they feel about the procedure before offering something to say. Surgery can come with a variety of emotions, and you don’t want to assume any emotion they may be trying to process.

The best thing you can say to someone that is having surgery is, “Is there any emotion you are trying to process that you want to talk through?” That will also give you an idea if they even want to talk about it at all. (Remember, silent prayers work too!)

Often, a person may be anxious about the procedure. If the person is religious, you can offer them support and prayers. You can also tell them that you will be praying for them during their surgery. Surgery can be a stressful experience, but knowing that others are supporting them can make the process a little bit easier.

Who is the saint of surgery? 

There is no definitive answer to this question, as there are many saints who have been associated with surgery throughout history. If you look up who is the saint of surgery, you will receive multiple answers.

Some of the most commonly cited saints include Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, who are often considered the patron saints of surgeons. Other possible contenders include Saint Agatha, who is said to have healed people with her touch, and Saint Apollonia, who is the patron saint of dentists and those suffering from toothaches. 

Most people in the Western World will identify with Saint Luke, who was thought to be a doctor who wrote the Gospel of Luke. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide which saint they feel most closely aligned with.

Please know though that the above information is for the benefit of those who ask, and that is why we included it in our FAQ’s. Here at Pray With Confidence, we believe that you can speak openly to God about prayers for surgery as well as anything else in life.

How do you pray for surgery and protection? 

Similar to our first question of how to do prayers for surgery, there is no “right way” to pray for surgery and protection. Speaking from the heart is the only right way.

However, if you want specific prayers to pray through, that is okay! That can help bring comfort when you don’t know what to say to God. Please scroll down to the bottom of this blog post for specific prayers for surgery for many situations.

What is the most powerful healing prayer? 

Many may think that there is not one most powerful healing prayer, as different people may find different prayers more effective. Whatever prayer brings you to feeling God the most is your best bet. 

However, the most powerful healing prayer is one with great faith. 

We have included some of our favorite verses about having great faith below. They can help when you pray prayers for surgery:

• “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)
• “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
• “Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36)
• “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
• “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22)

Praying bold, Ephesians 3:20 prayers, expecting God to show up will give room for God to answer prayers above and beyond what we expect Him to do.

What Psalm can I read for healing? 

There are many great Psalms to read for healing. One of our favorite Psalms for healing is Psalm 103. 

“Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 

Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits— 

who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

    and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5)

Other great Psalms for healing include:

• Psalm 6:2
• Psalm 23:4 
• Psalm 30:2
• Psalm 31
• Psalm 147:3
• Psalm 34:18-20
• Psalm 107:17-20

How do you say “I’m praying for healing”? 

There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the way you express your thoughts and prayers for healing will likely be unique to your own personal faith and beliefs. 

However, some ways you might say “I’m praying for healing” could include:

• expressing gratitude for the individual’s strength and resilience during difficult times
• Stopping and praying out loud so they hear you
• If you can’t be with them, send them texts throughout the surgery and recovery process with short prayers (you can record them on audio text and send them that way as well)
• Telling them that you’re still praying weeks after their recovery to let them know you are still thinking and praying about them.
• A small gift that lets them know that you are praying for them. This beautiful blanket literally tells the person that you are praying for them!

What is a good Bible verse for healing? What would go well with a prayer for someone having surgery?

Some good Bible verses for healing include:

• “The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Matthew 8:8)
• “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Jeremiah 17:14
• “‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 30:17
• “’I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,’ says the Lord, ‘And I will heal them.'” Isaiah 57:18-19
• “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
• “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
• “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

Other Thoughts and Prayers For Surgery to Pray Over People

Prayer To Pray Right Before Surgery

Dear God, I ask for calmness every time I say your name. I ask that when I say Jesus, everything is still and peaceful, even if there is chaos around me. I ask this in Your Son’s name, Amen.

Prayer Right Before Surgery For a Friend

O Lord, please be with my dear friend as he/she goes through this time. I ask that he/she feels your comfort in every step of the process. I ask that they are able to get through this minute by minute and draw closer to you in the process. In Jesus’ name,  Amen.

Prayer of Thanks For Surgery

(You can pray this over yourself, or change it to pray for a friend for surgery).

Holy Spirit, I know you are with me. Please grant me peace of mind, and for my mind to be clear enough to show nothing but gratitude to you for this surgery. In your infinite love you created all types of people, especially all the people that are about to do this surgery. Thank you for creating all types of people, hospitals, and whatever is needed for this surgery. Amen!

Prayer For Successful Surgery

Lord, we know You are one to make miracles happen. If you can make miracles happen, this surgery is nothing in Your hands. I believe in the successful operation, and will declare it in Jesus’ name. Please replace the surgeon’s hand with Your Healing hand and guide him/her throughout the process. Amen!

Prayer For Full Recovery 

Dear God, we pray for your healing process for perfect harmony in a full recovery. Please provide Your healing power for success that is so grand that it helps us tell people how great you are, Amen!

Short Prayer for Surgery of Any Kind

If you want a prayer for someone having surgery, sometimes the best prayer is a short and simple one. Try this one here:

O God, we plead this simple prayer that this unpleasant surgery will turn to success in your Name. Amen.

Is There a Best Prayer For Surgery? 

The most powerful and best prayer for surgery is one that is from your heart, honest, and one that trusts God.

Final Thoughts

There are many different prayers you can have while trying to find your favorite prayer for someone having surgery that you can pray for yourself or anyone you know going through surgery. Know that God has this and will show up in mighty ways! Nothing is too big for our dear Heavenly Father. A powerful prayer is one of faith, so keep the faith during this time! If we can help pray for you in any way, use the Facebook messenger app in the corner of this website and we will pray for you!