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Prayer for the Hurting Heart

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It is easy to walk joyfully with God when everything in our lives runs smoothly. The sun is shining, friends and family are around us, we are in perfect health, we have a great job, etc. This is when our lives satisfy us.

But God doesn’t promise us a life without heartbreak, and He doesn’t promise us a life without problems. It is in these times that we need a prayer for the hurting heart.

God gave us a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone. A heart of stone is a hard and cold heart, a rejecting heart, and a heart that is numb for God’s promptings. A heart of flesh is a soft and loving heart, a receiving heart, and a heart that communicates with God.

To communicate with God, we need a heart of flesh. This has, however, the inherent implication of softness. And soft hearts can get hurt. When we humble and open our hearts, we will inevitably get hurt one day.

In these days and times where there is so much roughness, temptation, and selfishness in the world, it is easy to get hurt.

Even if we exclude ourselves from society entirely into a remote place with no one around us, for many years, our hearts can still get hurt because of loneliness.

That is why we should remember that we are in the world, but not of the world.

Prayers for a Broken and Hurting Heart

Even when we protect ourselves, we can still end up with a hurting heart because, we live in a fallen world in need of grace. The good news is that if we get hurt, we can lift our pain to God in prayer and pour out our hearts. He knows perfectly how to deal with our pain. These kinds of prayers are called prayers of lament and are commonly found in the Psalms.

Prayer for the broken heart #1:

Lord, help! I don’t even know what else to say. It pains so much!

Please, Lord, my heart is broken! My spirit is crushed! Feel my pain and comfort me. I can’t live this way. It seems there is no end to my pain, but I know you can heal my heart. You said you are close to the brokenhearted; and rescue those whose spirits are crushed.

My heart is in Your hands. Lord, deal gently with it.

I know You will make a way when there seems to be no way; I trust You. I completely surrender my heart to You. I know you hear my prayer and will heal my hurting heart. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer for the broken heart #2:

Lord, I don’t know what happened; I didn’t see it coming. But I got hurt! Really hurt. My heart is hurting so much. Please take my hurting heart and replace it with a joyful heart. Let me see You in this situation and show me the way forward. Walk with me through this!

Forgive me for my role in this. I should have known it, You warned me, but I didn’t listen. I am sorry. Forgive me and heal me, please. Gather all the broken pieces and restore me. I will listen to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer for the broken heart #3:

Father, my heart is hurting. People have wronged me and left me broken-hearted. Though they did it to harm me, I know You will use it for my good. I choose to forgive them. Help me go on, Lord, because my heart hurts so much.

I know You are close to the brokenhearted and bandage their wounds. Heal my hurting heart, Lord, and bandage my wounds. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

What does the Bible say about a broken and hurting heart?

God is interested in our hearts more than in anything else. He watches our hearts, not our attitudes. God is love. He loves us entirely and doesn’t want us to be broken-hearted. He cares so much about our hearts and doesn’t want them to get hurt. Remember, he lives in our hearts; He feels our pain.

The good news is that because of this attention He has for our hearts, He provides much consolation in His Word. We can find much of these in the Psalms. The Psalms are, therefore, perfect for reading when your heart is hurting.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 (NKJV)

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 (NLT)

Jesus and the hurting hearts

We can’t heal our own broken heart, neither can we heal that of others. But Jesus can. He quickens and renews us by the Living Word, through and by Himself, who came to heal the brokenhearted through the payment of His own blood on the Cross.

Our lives would be totally broken if Jesus had not given His own life and taken our place for our sins. He was crucified so that we could be free of any hopeless brokenness in our lives.

That is why in the New Testament there is much attention for our hearts:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NKJV)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NLT)

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 (NLT)

How do you pray for someone who is hurting?

When people get hurt, it can be extremely difficult to reach them with comfort. This can be because of the extremity of their pain, their focus is solely on their pain, or because you played a part in their hurt. In either case, sometimes it is better to pray than to console that person with comforting words.

They may even feel that you don’t really understand their situation, causing them to be reluctant to receive your well-meant words.

An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.” Proverbs 18:19 (NLT)

Most people don’t know what to say to someone who is hurting. Some think silence is best so that they don’t say the wrong thing. Others say things they are taught to say, such as “I’m sorry to hear that”, or “I send my condolences.”

But God knows their genuine pain, more than we can ever understand. Based on this, we can lift our prayers to Him and leave it to Him to reach out and heal that person’s broken heart. After all, it is not within our capacity to heal someone’s broken heart.

Prayer for a broken-hearted friend

Father, I commit my friend to You. She is completely broken-hearted. I feel her pain, Lord. I commit her and her pain to You. You said You are close to the brokenhearted, and the crushed in spirit, and you heal their broken hearts. Heal her hurting heart and set her free.

It pains me to see her hurting so much. I know You can heal her. Intervene, Lord, and let her see this is not the end and that You love her so much more than anything else she has here on earth. Hold her tight in Your loving Father’s arms, squeeze her and give her rest.

Replace what she lost; restore what is broken; renew what has died in her. Restore to her the joy of Your salvation and renew a steadfast spirit in her. Thank You for complete restoration, In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer for a broken heart from a relationship

One of the main reasons for broken hearts, are broken relationships. Whether a romantic relationship, a family relationship, or the relationship between friends. We live in a broken world, where people get hurt. Once you enter any relationship, there is the danger of getting hurt.

This danger causes many people to be reserved when they enter any type of relationship and do not open up to the other party. The fear of getting hurt blocks a healthy relationship because we want to protect our hearts. This is logical because there are so many hurting hearts due to broken relationships.

The good news is, though we may feel defeated, God is closer than we realize. He is always with us and can heal our hearts.

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NKJV)

All He wants us to do is release our pain, hurt, and anguish to Him.

Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)

And… He does not want us to give up. God does not give up on people, and neither should we. If God could restore us back to Himself, He can restore any relationship back to us. We should place our hope in Him.

Prayer:

Father, feel my pain. I am in sorrows and anguish. Deliver me from this ongoing heart ache. I got hurt! I don’t want to feel this way. Please help me. I don’t even know what to say. The pain is too much.

But even now, I trust in You. I surrender myself -my heart, spirit, and soul- to You. Mold them, Lord, and make them whole. Restore my heart and let me have joy again.

I release the one that broke my heart. He/she betrayed me, but I choose to forgive. Please forgive him/her as well. I do this in obedience to You.

Father, I receive total restoration, forgiveness, and healing. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer for a mother’s broken heart

A mother’s heart is not just a heart; there is a difference. A mother’s role is to love her children with all her heart. It is also the role of every mom to understand her children.

It is this eminent ability to love and care selflessly that causes many mothers’ hearts to get broken. The causes can be the death of a child, a run-away child, an addicted child, an ill child, a stubborn child, an unaffectionate child, etc.

Prayer after death of a child

Lord, I am in deep pain. It feels like my heart is ripped out. I can’t have this hurt anymore, please; this is too much for my mother-heart. How can I live when my child is dead? How can I survive?

Did I do wrong, Lord? Could I have prevented it? Please, don’t let me stay in this anguish. Deliver me. It is hurting so much!

I know You loved my child more than I did, but right now all I want is to hold him/her in my arms again, to have him/her back here with me. Why did You take him/her away? Why?

Still, I acknowledge Your sovereignty and I surrender my heart with all its pain to You. Take it, Lord. Heal me. Heal my mother’s heart. You made my heart. Please, heal it.

Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer after a child chooses the ‘wrong’ path

Father, You know my child; I tried to raise him/her to the best of my knowledge. I taught him/her Your ways. It pains me so much that he/she left You. My heart is broken.

Every day I think of him/her and pray. But still, he/she is not coming back. I don’t even see any change. Lord, please hear my prayers. 

I wished I could step in and bring him/her back to You. But I know I can’t. You can though. Stretch out Your powerful hand and touch him/her. Bring him/her back home. Back to You. Then my soul can rest, and my mother’s heart will be at peace.

I will not give up and continue to bring him/her to Your throne of Grace because I know I can trust You. Give me the strength to go on and heal my hurting heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Prayer for an entrepreneur’s broken heart

Businesses for entrepreneurs are often like their babies. They typically would start the business little and grow it step by step. They then become attached to the business more than an employee would be. When a business doesn’t end well, this can be heartbreaking for the owner. A loss of a company can cause severe heart hurt.

Prayer for a lost business

Lord, thank You for haven given me the opportunity to grow this company. I enjoyed establishing it and working on it. I also know that You gave me the strength and wisdom to do it and to go on when times were hard.

But now, Lord, You took everything away. Why? Did I do wrong? Did I offend You?

I feel so empty, my heart is totally broken. I don’t even understand what happened, and know I am in this mess. There is mess everywhere! People look at me with judging eyes. They are saying I caused it myself. Please, Lord, forgive me if I did wrong.

You have never said that life would be easy. But this is too much. You took everything. Yet, I will get up. You said the righteous may fall seven times, but they get up again. Lord, in your strength, I will get up again. Help me.

Restore me, Father. Give me another chance. It feels like I lost everything. Heal me, Lord, and establish me again. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Final Thoughts

A broken and hurting heart can take away all our joy. It can weigh us down so much that we dread life itself. Yet, we can reach out to our loving Father, who sees and knows everything.

He created our hearts. So, if our heart is broken, we know where to go to get it fixed again.

In all our pain, He is close to us. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. Even in our brokenness, He doesn’t leave us. He is right there with us. All we must do is cry out and touch His heart. In return, He will touch ours.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” Psalm 51:10-12

Author

  • Christel Owoo

    Christel Owoo is a Confidence Coach, Mentor, Women’s Ministry Leader, Author, Wife, and Mom. She writes about Bible Study, Christian Living, and Personal Growth on her website, through guest blogs, devotionals, books, and in Christian magazines. Her ministry is to help Christian women live confidently and victoriously in Christ, to the fullest of their God-given potential. Christel’s books speak of life-changing encounters and second chances when you follow, obey, and apply the Word of God.  To connect with Christel visit: www.christelowoo.com, on Facebook, FB-group-Becoming a Confident Woman in Christ, Twitter, and Instagram.

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