When sickness steals your strength, long prayers become impossible burdens.
You’re too exhausted to form eloquent sentences.
Too foggy from medication to construct theological arguments.
Too weak to maintain concentration for extended intercession.
The very idea of a lengthy prayer session feels crushing when sitting up takes all your energy.
God knows this. He doesn’t require performance when you’re barely surviving.
Matthew 6:7-8, English Standard Version (ESV)
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
This post provides a short, powerful prayer for strength and healing that you can pray when illness has drained everything from you.
But first, you need to understand what makes prayer powerful during sickness, what Scripture promises about healing, and how to pray honestly when you’re afraid God isn’t listening.
The Prayer
Healer God, I’m sick and I need You. My body is failing. My strength is gone. I can’t fix this myself. Please heal me if that’s Your will. If not, give me strength to endure. Help me trust You when I’m scared. Comfort me when I hurt. Remind me You’re with me even when I feel alone. I believe You can heal. Help my unbelief. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
That’s it. Fifty-four words. You can pray it in thirty seconds. You can pray it multiple times daily. You can adapt it to your specific situation. You don’t need to expand it, improve it, or make it more impressive.
But understanding why this prayer works and how to pray it with faith requires deeper exploration.
Why Short Prayers Are Biblically Valid
Jesus Prayed Short Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer contains only 66 words in English translation. Jesus modeled concise prayer, not endless verbosity.
Luke 18:13, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!'”
Jesus commended this seven-word prayer as example of effective prayer. Length doesn’t determine power.
The Psalms Include Desperate Short Cries
Psalm 6:2, New International Version (NIV)
“Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.”
Psalm 38:21-22, New King James Version (NKJV)
“Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”
Sick people throughout Scripture prayed brief, desperate prayers. God heard them.
Groanings Too Deep for Words
Romans 8:26, English Standard Version (ESV)
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
When you’re too sick to articulate prayers properly, the Holy Spirit interprets your wordless groans and presents them to God. You don’t have to find perfect words.
Breaking Down the Prayer
“Healer God”
This addresses God according to His revealed character. He identifies Himself as healer in Exodus 15:26: “I am the Lord, your healer.”
Addressing God this way isn’t manipulation. It’s faith recalling who He is.
“I’m Sick and I Need You”
Honesty is essential. Don’t pretend you’re fine or spiritualize your desperation. God already knows you’re sick. Pretending otherwise wastes energy you don’t have.
“My Body Is Failing. My Strength Is Gone.”
Specific acknowledgment of your condition. This isn’t complaining. It’s honest assessment brought to the One who can help.
“I Can’t Fix This Myself”
This admits dependence. You’ve reached the limit of what you can do. Medical care helps, but ultimately healing comes from God.
“Please Heal Me If That’s Your Will”
This requests healing while submitting to God’s sovereignty. You’re not demanding or claiming healing. You’re asking for it while trusting God’s wisdom.
A friend’s mother prayed this way during cancer treatment.
She asked for healing repeatedly while submitting to whatever God allowed. She experienced remission for five years before the cancer returned.
Those five years were gift she thanked God for continuously.
When she died, she died praying the same prayer: “Heal me if that’s Your will. If not, give me strength to trust You.”
Her final healing came through death into God’s presence where sickness doesn’t exist.
“If Not, Give Me Strength to Endure”
This acknowledges that God sometimes allows illness to continue while providing strength to bear it. Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) demonstrates that God doesn’t always remove suffering but always provides sufficient grace.
“Help Me Trust You When I’m Scared”
Fear during serious illness is normal. This asks God to strengthen faith that’s weakening under fear’s assault.
“Comfort Me When I Hurt”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
God is “God of all comfort.” Asking for comfort during pain is appropriate prayer.
“Remind Me You’re With Me Even When I Feel Alone”
Illness isolates. Even surrounded by people, you feel alone in your suffering. This asks God to make His presence felt when loneliness threatens to crush you.
“I Believe You Can Heal. Help My Unbelief”
This echoes the father in Mark 9:24 who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus. When Jesus said “all things are possible for one who believes,” the father responded, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
This is honest faith that confesses both belief and doubt. God honors such honesty.
What the Bible Promises About Healing
God Can Heal
Scripture records numerous healings. Jesus healed extensively during His earthly ministry. The apostles healed in Jesus’s name. God possesses power to heal any illness.
God Sometimes Chooses Not to Heal
Paul’s thorn remained despite repeated prayer (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Timothy had stomach problems Paul addressed with practical advice, not miraculous healing (1 Timothy 5:23). Trophimus was left sick at Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20).
God’s refusal to heal immediately doesn’t indicate lack of power or lack of love. It indicates purposes beyond what you can see.
Ultimate Healing Is Guaranteed
Revelation 21:4, New International Version (NIV)
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Every believer receives complete healing eventually. Either through recovery here or resurrection there. The question isn’t whether you’ll be healed but when and how.
How to Pray This Prayer with Faith
Pray It Repeatedly
Don’t pray once and stop. Pray it morning, afternoon, evening. Pray it when pain intensifies. Pray it when fear overwhelms. Repetition isn’t doubt. It’s persistence.
Luke 18:1, English Standard Version (ESV)
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Pray It Out Loud When Possible
Hearing yourself pray focuses attention and fights against mental fog medication can create.
Have Others Pray It With You
James 5:14-15, Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
“Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Ask church elders, family, and friends to pray this prayer with you and for you.
Believe God Hears Even When You Don’t Feel His Presence
Faith doesn’t depend on feelings. God promises to hear prayers of His children (1 John 5:14-15). Trust the promise when feelings contradict it.
Add Thanksgiving Even in Difficulty
1 Thessalonians 5:18, New International Version (NIV)
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Thank God for what you can: His presence, people caring for you, medical treatment available, moments of reduced pain, or simply that He’s still God regardless of circumstances.
When to Modify the Prayer
For Chronic Illness
“Healer God, I’ve been sick a long time. Give me strength for today. Help me endure. Don’t let me lose hope. Use this illness for Your purposes. Sustain me until healing comes.”
For Terminal Diagnosis
“Healer God, doctors say I’m dying. I’m afraid. Heal me if You will. If not, prepare me to meet You. Give me peace. Help my family. Let my death glorify You.”
For Mental Illness
“Healer God, my mind is sick. Depression/anxiety/trauma is crushing me. Heal my mind. Give me strength to fight. Help me find good treatment. Don’t let me give up.”
For Loved One’s Illness
“Healer God, [name] is sick. I can’t heal them. Please heal them. Give them strength. Comfort them. Help me support them well. I trust You with their life.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to ask God for specific healing or should I just say “Your will be done”?
Both are appropriate. You can ask specifically (“heal my cancer,” “remove this pain”) while submitting to God’s will. Jesus modeled this in Gethsemane when He prayed “let this cup pass from me” while adding “not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
What if I’ve prayed this for months and I’m getting worse?
Continue praying while accepting medical treatment. God’s timeline differs from yours. Worse doesn’t mean He’s not listening. It may mean His answer is different from what you’re requesting, or healing is coming through process rather than instantaneous miracle.
Can I pray this for someone who doesn’t believe in God?
Yes. Pray for their healing and their salvation. God can use illness to draw people to Himself. However, don’t promise them healing as manipulation toward faith.
What if I’m angry at God for letting me get sick?
Tell Him. Honest anger in prayer is better than polite distance. Many psalms express anger toward God. He can handle your rage and will work through it if you bring it to Him rather than nursing it silently.
Should I stop medical treatment and just pray?
No. God works through medicine and doctors. Praying for healing while rejecting medical treatment is presumption, not faith. Use both prayer and medicine.
How do I know if my lack of healing is from lack of faith?
You don’t, and dwelling on that question breeds guilt. Sometimes God doesn’t heal despite strong faith. Focus on trusting Him rather than measuring your faith adequacy.
Final Encouragement
God sees you. He knows every symptom, every fear, every sleepless night. He isn’t distant or indifferent. He’s near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).
Your short prayer reaches His throne as effectively as lengthy eloquent prayers. He hears groans you can’t articulate. He understands needs you can’t express.
Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep bringing your broken body to the Healer, knowing that whether healing comes today, tomorrow, or in eternity, He is faithful.
Referenced Materials
Keller, T. (2013). Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. Penguin Books. [Pastoral Theology]
Lewis, C. S. (1940). The Problem of Pain. HarperOne. [Christian Apologetics]
Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. NavPress. [Bible Translation]
Strong, J. (2010). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Hendrickson Publishers. [Reference Book]
Yancey, P. (1977). Where Is God When It Hurts? Zondervan. [Theology of Suffering]
