The human heart has a heavy influence on how we perceive and define things, perhaps even more than the mind. Our feelings during certain experiences shape us as much as the experiences themselves. Pain is a powerfully sorrowful example of this. We can look up the dictionary definition of pain, but it will still mean something different for everyone. For some people, pain is the utter agony you feel because of a critical condition, and it brings flashbacks of hospital walls and medication. For others, it could be the taste of salty tears shed after a breakup or a death announcement, a reminder that we will not always cross the finish line with the people who were with us at the starting line.
Whatever pain we have felt before, and whatever pain our loved ones endure, this prayer for healing from suffering will help them with their current conditions through the love of the Lord.
Prayer for pain
Our Great and Merciful God,
You are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Every life that blossoms upon the Earth starts with You and returns to You, and it is You who lives within us, providing us with the essence of life. You sprinkled the evening sky with stars, and You alone know the mysteries of the universe. You wake us from our slumber with the bright and blinding sun, but even its light is inferior to Yours. Now, I meekly approach You with a prayer to relieve pain, calling upon Your mercy and love.
I am a mere sinner, yet You still choose to call me by name. Too often, I have wandered down the wrong ways of the world, yet You never tire of rescuing me from temptation. Your grace exceeds my unworthiness, and Your mercy is everlasting. I kneel before You once again in repentance and guilt, begging You to wash away my sins and cleanse my soul of all impurities. My mind and body are weak, but Your love lives in me, and I hold Your word very close to my heart.
Lord God, I cast all my worries and troubles to You. However dark the world may be, there is sunshine in my soul because Jesus is the light that brightens my heart and leads the way. I am grateful for the gift of everlasting life: a future where I can be with my fellow faithful loved ones and live an eternity with You…an eternity without pain, sorrow, and sickness. Thank You for this gift Lord, and while words fail to describe my eternal gratitude, I will do my best to sing the highest praises and preach Your name to every person I meet.
There are people close to my heart who are suffering from physical, emotional, and mental pain right now, and I beg You, O Lord, to use me to give them comfort and to help with their healing. Great God, I beg You to save all those who are perishing, dying, and suffering. Fix their broken hearts and heal their suffering bodies. I pray that You will care for them and give peace to their minds, assuring them that they are not alone. Lift their burdens and heal their souls. May the people around me heal from painful memories and experiences that I don’t know about. Set them free from the chains of agony that have been stopping them from reaching out to You. Wipe away their sorrowful tears and gently remind them that all will be well. Through this prayer for healing from suffering, I hope that You will show them mercy and grace and snatch them from their pain. Heal me from my own pains and sorrow.
This is my humble prayer, sweetly whispered in Your Precious Name,
Amen.
Short prayer for someone in pain
Heavenly Father, I lay this prayer for healing at Your feet, hopeful that You will hear my call and help those who are suffering and dying. Have mercy on them, Lord, and care for them gently. Soothe them and relieve them from their pain, no matter what kind. May You bless them and nurture them with Your love. Gently remind them that they are not alone, that You are with them through every step. I lovingly offer this prayer to alleviate pain with them in mind. Keep all of us safe in Your warm embrace. Amen.
The Word of God
“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NRSVUE
Surely it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness, but you have held back my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
Isaiah 38:17 NRSVUE
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 5:34 NRSVUE
Intercessory prayer to Saint Raphael the Archangel
Saint Raphael, I call your name on my knees, reverently in awe of your grace. I am in need of your help in delivering a comforting prayer for someone in physical pain to the Lord. It is my humble request that you join me in prayer for those who are in pain and are suffering already. May their backs be finally free of burden, and may their wounds finally heal. I pray for their comfort, peace, and rest. May the Lord finally grant them respite from the pain they have been trying to endure for far too long. May He heal each of us from our own pains.
I know that with you adding weight to my prayers, the Lord will hear my earnest plea and the cries of those I am praying for.
Saint Raphael, please pray for us. Amen.
Further reflection
When we get the chance to have a small blessing, whether it is a soft bed to lie down on or a plate full of food, appreciate it no matter how small, because they are never insignificant. Be grateful for the chance to laugh and smile each day without the struggle of pain, survival, and sorrow. In times of sadness, choose to look upon the blessings we have received instead of dwelling on the negatives. In times of happiness, do not forget those who are suffering and silently crying for respite from the pain they are going through.
Remember to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for these blessings, and then offer a prayer for comforting someone in pain for those who are suffering. Lastly, remember to be kind, no matter how bad or busy our day is. Don’t underestimate the impact of tiny gestures like saying a sweet and simple ‘thank you’ or holding the door open for someone. Make gratitude and generosity a habit.
Choose to be kind, and the Lord will be kind to you.
