5 Verses to Pray When You Have a Broken Heart
I’ve had countless nights when I’ve taken a long list of concerns to God before sleep arrived.
I’ve had many sleepless nights when our problems felt immense and words eluded me … when I just kept repeating “please help us.”
And I’ve had a handful of times when there simply were no words at all. Times when I found myself curled up in a ball trying to hold together a heart that had been shattered into a million pieces.
When life as you know it falls apart and you have a broken heart it’s hard to pray, isn’t it?
Even when you and I know that praying is the very thing we need to do, it’s hard when the only thing we can think about is HOW MUCH THIS HURTS!
When I’m heartbroken and my emotions are reeling out of control … I need help. I need someone to pray with me and for me. I need someone to remind me that God is sovereign and nothing happens in my life beyond His loving care and concern.
So, I’m writing prayers for us. Prayers you can pray when you have a broken heart. Maybe that day is today. Maybe it will be someday in the future. Whenever or whatever … God wants us to bring our brokenness to Him in prayer.
5 Verses to Pray When You Have a Broken Heart
He heals the brokenhearted
Psalm 147:3–5
and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
and calls them all by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Father, You know the name of every star in the universe. You know how many hairs there are on the top of my head. You know my heart is shattered. In fact, right now, it feels like it will never be whole again and I’m terrified.
I need You! I would love for You to change my circumstances. I want You to turn back the clock and make this all disappear but even if You won’t … I need You!
Please hold me close. Please heal my broken heart. Please heal my wounded spirit. You see my pain. You understand my circumstances. And I believe You are able!
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
Romans 28:26–28
Father, These words comfort me.
Thank you for giving me Your Spirit … with me and within me. Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for knowing what I need even when I don’t. I believe You are able to bring something good out of this. Your promise says You use everything, even painful circumstances, to bring about the good You want in my life. So, even though I don’t understand right now, even though this hurts and the future looks blurry, I will trust You because I love You!
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
Isaiah 43:1b–2a
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
Father, I’ll admit I’m afraid right now. Everything feels fragile and uncertain. But Your Word says, I belong to You and promises that when I go through difficult times that frighten me … You are with me.
Please give me a real sense of Your presence. Hold me. Help me trust Your perfect love and saving grace.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7
Father, I give this all to You. I give You my uncertainty, my worry, and my fear. This world can be hard. People hurt each other. There is so much suffering. I can’t do this on my own. I need You. Please help me. With Your Spirit’s help, I will trust Your love and stay focused on You. I will remember all You have done for me in the past confident that You will give me everything I need today. I will “be still and know” that You are the God who saves me. Thank you.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
Psalm 73:225–26
I desire You more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.
Father, I desire You more than anything. I love You! I believe that through Jesus death and resurrection I am forgiven and fully alive. I trust the promise that You have already supplied everything I need through Jesus. (based on Philippians 4:19)
So, when my health fails or when I have a broken heart, I will turn to You. Because You alone are able to heal me. You are able to put the pieces of my broken heart back together and give me the strength I need!
I belong to You! You hold me and guide me. With Your Spirit’s help, I can give You my brokenness and start to live with hope and joy.
By Your grace and for Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.
Friend…
If you clicked over to these prayers because you have a broken heart, I’m so sorry. Please leave a comment here or over on the Blessing Counters Pray Page and we will pray for you.
If you’re here because you are a regular reader and you’re doing well right now, you may want to save these prayers for the future.
Jesus said…
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Yes, Jesus has overcome the world.
And I can tell you from experience, He has overcome the power of a broken heart. I know because He is the strength of my heart, my Healer, and my source of hope and joy!
If you’re struggling and you have a broken heart today, check out … Things You Need to Do That Will Heal Your Broken Heart.
Very comforting prayerful words for the brokenhearted! I’m so thankful for His comfort and strength!
Thank you for your prayers today. I lost my husband two months ago and am missing him terribly. Tearful prayers every morning and this morning reading your words just opened the floodgates; but the reassurance they brought has helped me realize that I am never alone, that the Lord is always close to me and especially when now as I grieve.
Wonderful prayers with these verses, I need that one. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you, Deb, for putting words around heart break. Pouring out the hurt to a God who hears is so healing. Grateful every day for God’s tender mercies toward the broken hearted.
Deb,
You always have such beautiful words to write to us. I ALWAYS love all the wonderful Scriptures you share with us.
Thank you for reminding us God is always with us. May we learn to go to God in all times. Joyous and broken hearted.
Thank you again, Deb, for sharing your gift of writing beautiful Christian devotionals to lift us and inspire us. I truly love how you share God’s Word in a way where we can use it in our daily walk in life.
Faith, hope, and love to all of you ladies,
Barbara
Thank you so much, Deb …. these verses and prayers were just what I needed this morning.
What powerful prayers, Deb. Appreciate the honesty and realness behind each one…exactly how the Father desires we come to Him. Even the Psalmists and others lamented and were this vulnerable with God…no hiding true feelings.
And thanks for highlighting my post from last Friday. Appreciate that so much!
What beautiful, honest prayers, Deb. We’ve all been in situations that overwhelm us and I’m beyond grateful that we have an Advocate who intercedes on our behalf.
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Yes, yes, yes. All five of these verses are ones I have on my list too. Such important truths to remind ourselves of. When we are down, God is still always with us.
Sometimes I forget that He cares about my weak places. And not in the sense that I need to fix it and be better, but He genuinely cares about how I feel and loves me in that place.
I can recall so very many times when my heart was breaking over a situation, and God truly came to the rescue. He buoyed me up, kept me from despair, and led me gently forward. And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He will always be there for me, for all of us, when we call to Him.
Blessings, Deb!
My sister got some hard news today and this really helped me pray for her. Thank you. laurensparks.net
Thank you Deb, those of us who have been through the hard times appreciate what it took of the heart to write these prayers.
Bless you,
Jennifer
Beautiful prayers to pray. Thank you. Maree
Deb,
Counting My Blessings is such a place of encouragement. The prayers you share are TRULY a BLESSING! Thank you so much for your ministry!
Thank you, also, for featuring my post this week!! What an honor! THANK YOU!!! I pray it will be an encouragement.
Emily
Very profound great teachings
Such inspiring & uplifting, words that give me hope where hope seems nowhere to be found. Pls pray for restoration of my marriage, its 6 months now for separation. Also plz pray for God to soften hubby’s heart, God to hold his hand & guide him how to change the situation that we are in now… its really heart broken.
I’m so sorry, Nozi! I am praying for you and for your marriage! Asking God to give you His strength as you wait and that He will heal your marriage. God bless you!
Thank you for your encouragement through scripture and prayers. As a parent my heart is broken into pieces right now. I will be reading and rereading these words.
Karen, I’m so sorry! I’ve walked the heartbroken parent journey and it is so painful. I am glad these prayers blessed you. I’m praying for you and asking God to hold you close and heal your hurting heart. God bless you!
Thank You. Blessings.
God bless you, Louise!