5 Powerful Prayers for EnCOURAGEment

It may be hard for you to believe, especially if you’re in a tough place, but God is here for you. He knows you need prayer for encouragement, so He prompted me to sit down on a Friday night and put these together for you.

God loves you very much. And the most powerful thing you can do when you need this kind of help is to be willing to receive His touch as He reaches out to you. Just receive.

The first powerful prayer of encouragement is to receive God's touch as He reaches out to you.

Photo by Cherry Laithang.

#1 A Prayer for EnCOURAGEment to Help You Press On.

Dear God,
You know what’s going on.
I need Your help!
Give me a fresh perspective.
Lift my eyes above the circumstances
to rest and trust in You.
Please show me a sign of hope.
It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sometimes, it helps to do something.

What usually makes you smile? Think back, and remember when you did that in the past. Take a break from your discouragement and spend time with your favorite memories.

And here’s a promise for you:

“Those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”
(Isaiah 41:31, NIV)

Photo by Andreas Barth.

#2 A Prayer for Hope When You’re Down.

Dear God,
Throw me a life preserver
to help me stay afloat.
Anchor my hope in You.
I desperately need Your help!
Thank You for never leaving me,
never forsaking me.
It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sometimes, it helps to do something.

When I’m giving all my cares to God, I like to go to a body of water and throw rocks into it. I hold up a rock as a representation of each worry, stir up all the strength I have, and whip it into the water. Once I’ve given them all to God, there’s something about that motion, that tiredness that comes with it, that helps me let go of them.

And here’s a promise for you:

“Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you.”
(1 Peter 5:7)

Throwing rocks into the sea is one way you can cast all your cares on God!

Photo by Sina Rezakhani .

#3 A Prayer of EnCOURAGEment for Strength When You Feel Weak.

Dear God,
I’m so weary.
Renew my strength
and fill me with supernatural energy.
You promise I will reap a harvest if I do not give up.
Remind me of Your faithfulness.
Fill me with Your wisdom.
Show me the way.
It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sometimes, it helps to do something.

The Bible says that when you “decree a thing, and it will be established for you” (Job 22:28, NASB). What’s a decree? It’s a declaration, a statement you make with bold intent so strongly that your spirit believes you. You can carry it in your heart all day long, repeating it over and over. Watch how it reframes your situation. You can try it with this next promise if you want.

And here’s a promise for you:

“I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power
infuses me to conquer every difficulty.”
(Philippians 4:13, TPT)

Making declarations is a great way to encourage yourself and decree into your future!

Photo by Alysha Rosly.

#4 A Prayer for You to Find Comfort When You’re Grieving.

Dear God,
You know my loss.
You are close to the brokenhearted.
Let me feel Your arms around me.
Help me to make wise decisions.
Calm my anxious thoughts.
And help me to find joy and hope again,
a reason for living.
It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sometimes, it helps to do something.

No one likes to feel sad, weak, or down. But when you let yourself feel that grief, you often heal it. It sounds crazy, but it may be worth a try. The emotion often wanes much faster than you expect.

And here’s a promise for you:

“May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Romans 15:13, NIV)

Sitting in the pain, and then in hope, is part of a prayer for encouragement!

Photo by Nick Fewings.

#5 A Prayer for EnCOURAGEment to Help You Trust God for Help.

Dear God,
I confess,
I’m struggling to trust
what I don’t understand.
Increase my faith.
Help me to feel Your Presence.
Give me discernment and courage
to reach for Your hand and try.
Guard my heart with Your peace.
It’s in Jesus’ name, I pray.

Sometimes, it helps to do something.

Do you journal? It feels really good when you get everything off your chest. You can rant to God in a journal or while driving down the road. He’s God, so He probably already knows. But telling Him why you’re mad, even if it’s at Him, can bring relief. When you finish, and you can’t think of anything else to say, will you listen? Because God loves you and He has some words He wants to say to you.

And here’s a promise for you:

“Here’s what YAHWEH says to you:

‘I know all about the marvelous destiny I have in store for you,
a future planned out in detail.

My intention is not to harm you
but to surround you with peace and prosperity
and to give you a beautiful future,
glistening with hope.'”
(Jeremiah 29:11, TPT)