How to Pray For Your Girlfriends

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Read on for prayer suggestions and tips for how you can effectively pray for your girlfriends each day.

I saw a post on Instagram that highlighted the idea of having true friends who pray for you. It really sparked a lot of thoughts on my end about choosing friends wisely and surrounding yourself with girlfriends who are going to lift you up. Then I had a convicting thought: am I that friend who goes to war for my girlfriends?

Do You Struggle Like I Do?

Prayer is something I struggle with. I could go days on end without praying other than a quick thank-you-for-this-food muttered at lunch time. I definitely want to pray more, and pray actively.

Another area that I struggle with is knowing how to pray for those I care about. My prayers tend to go something like this: Lord, thank you for so-and so, and for the blessing they are in my life…please be with them…give them grace… And then I draw a blank.

I really want to do better. My friends need a friend who is willing to lift them up at regular intervals in specific, heartfelt prayer. So I started to do some research and came up with a list.

Who Should You Pray For

My first list is my “who”. Write out a list of who you want to pray for. I try to keep it between 20 and 30. Ideally, that way you’re praying for someone new each day of the month (minus those days that devotions just don’t happen) Pick one person and pray for them at the start or end of your devotions each day.

These women on your list don’t have to be significantly close to you. Think of them as the people God placed in your life in different capacities. These are your work colleagues, your child’s Sunday school teacher, and your pastor’s wife.

Of course, you’re adding your mother and Grandmother to this list, but think of your aunts and cousins too. Obviously you have your sis and sis-in-law, but remember your college roommate who is halfway across America with her own life. Don’t forget the unsaved friends and family you are called to be a light to.

Remember the Harder To Pray For Ones

You can even include those women you don’t have much in common with and honestly don’t really care to spend much time with them. They still have needs and worries in their own lives. Actively praying for them will help you to see them the way Jesus sees them.

To add, praying for those who you honestly don’t like very much really has a powerful impact on your heart. You might start to see the seeds of jealousy or annoyance go away. This world needs more women to cheer each other on in community rather than tearing each other down due to sinful thoughts and actions.

Praying for your friends is so important because sometimes they fight battles they’ll never speak to you about. Make sure they’re covered.

Author Unknown

What to Pray:

Now for the hard part: what do I actually say in my prayers? I’m not the type that likes to read a prayer verbatim. In my own prayer life, it becomes repetitious. I catch myself wondering if I actually meant any of the words I spoke. For sure do what works for you; I like to have bullet points that are backed by scripture.

A tool that I’ve found that has really helped me is using the Quiet Time Companion. I’m not getting paid to say this, by the way. I’ve used many different devotional guides/notebooks over the years, and hers is my absolute favorite. Her prayer list section has truly helped me to pray more specific prayers on a regular basis.

This gives me a guideline for what to say in my prayers. Each person is different, so there might be an area where I know that my close friend is struggling. Therefore, certain areas become more detailed than others. I feel as if that makes my prayers more specific for each person I’m praying for. On my “what” list, I include categories like:

Pray for Wisdom:

Pray that God would guide “her” in the way of wisdom and lead “her” along straight paths (Prov 4:11)

Pray that God would give “her” wisdom generously (James 1:2-5)

Pray for Strength:

Pray that God would strengthen her and help her; that He would uphold her with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10)

Pray that she would set the Lord always before her, so that she would not be shaken (Psalm 16:8)

If she’s going through a trial:

Pray that she would persevere under her trial. (James 1:12)

Pray that her soul would find rest in God alone; that God would be her rock, salvation and fortress. (Psalm 62:1-2)

Pray that she would receive joy during her trying period. (James 1:2-4)

Pray that the Lord would be her light, salvation, and strength; that she no longer needs to be afraid (Psalm 27)

Pray that God would take away her worries; that she would be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the streams (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Pray that God would remind her of His unfailing love; that she would not be shaken. (Isaiah 54:10)

Pray that as she is in the midst of trouble, God would preserve her life (Psalm 138:7-8)

Pray for her heart:

Pray that she would guard her heart; that God would teach her how to guard her heart each day (Prov 4:23)

Pray that God would comfort her heart and establish it in every good work and word (2 Thess 2:16-17)

Pray that God would work in her: that she would have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Gal 5:22-23)

Pray that she would be able to daily put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). (For more details on what this actually means, start here)

Pray for her (and your) friendships:

Pray that God would give her more iron-sharpens-iron type relationships with her spouse, family, and friends.

Pray that God would help you and your friend to live in harmony with one another (Romans 15:5-6)

Ask God to show you how you can encourage her specifically, towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Pray for her family:

Pray that her and her house would choose to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15)

Pray that she would be able to keep her children on the right path (Prov 22:6)

Pray that she would lead her children with Christ’s example and nurture them in the way of the Lord (j

Pray that the Lord would watch over her and keep her and her family from all harm (Psalm 121)

Pray that God’s peace would rule her home.

Don’t Be Surprised If This Benefits You Too

I’ve found that as I’m praying specifically for these individuals, I tend to reach out to them more often. We tend to have more meaningful conversations (even over texts or social media). I start to look out for more specific ways that I can pray for them, or add a specific prayer request to their list.

I’ve also found that I’m praying more specifically for myself during these times as well. My prayers become less of “Lord fix this” and “Lord, I really want that”. At the same time, I pray more for God to work personally in my heart and life rather than to fix my problems.

So, don’t be surprised if once you start actively praying for the women in your life that you become more blessed in your relationship with them and your relationship with Christ as well.