6 Approachable Steps for Praying with Chronic Illness

Chronic illness is far-reaching, and it can touch our daily lives in profound ways. Sometimes it’s easy to question why God is allowing us to walk through such dark, desolate, and debilitating seasons. At other times, we might wonder why symptoms of chronic illness become so overwhelming that it feels almost impossible to connect with God. They can make prayer hard but, friend, you are not alone.  

While brain fog, chronic pain, and other intense symptoms can threaten to overtake our bodies and minds, they do not leave us defenseless against spiritual battle. There are many ways to commune with the Lord, even in the midst of the anguish, darkness, despair, heaviness, and frustration that accompany life with chronic illness. In fact, making simple adjustments to how we approach prayer can go a long way. 

Several suggestions to consider when praying with chronic illness include: 

1. Keep it simple.

Sometimes all we can say is the name of Jesus, and that’s okay! He knows the cries of our hearts even when we cannot fully express our requests in words. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, so just say His name when you don’t know what to pray. Rest assured that the Lord hears your cries for help. Just say Jesus.

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. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:26-27

As we approach the Lord in prayer, we can trust His everlasting promises to us and rest in His eternal faithfulness. 

2. Remember to focus on small praises.

Life with chronic illness can be a daily struggle, but there is always something to be grateful for. We can praise God in the midst of the dark valleys we encounter. When the symptoms of chronic illness are overwhelming and all-consuming, finding a few things to praise the Lord for can change our perspective in a powerful way. 

Questioning why God has allowed these difficult circumstances makes it challenging to focus on praising Him; however, here are some small ways that we can praise Him:

• Thank Him for His faithfulness amidst the dark, desolate, and unthinkable seasons of life with chronic illness.
• Proclaim His name through singing and writing.
• Open the Bible and speak God’s Word aloud.
• Rest in His everlasting and faithful promises found in the Bible. 
• Remember how He has provided and protected us in the past.
• Cry out to the Lord and declare His goodness. 

Maybe it’s hard to trust God through the unfathomably hard seasons of chronic illness. At times, we might question if the suffering will ever end but there is always hope in Christ. 

We are reminded that the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever; it will never cease or end. 

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:15-16

3. Go to God just as you are. 

Be open, honest, and sincere as you pour out your heart to the Lord. He is sure to hear our prayers, and He values genuine and transparent communication. 

Share your heart openly and freely. Rest in the everlasting truth that the Lord will never leave or forsake us. He answers our prayers when we call on His name through the high and low seasons of life with chronic illness.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 

1 John 5:14

4. Place every aspect of your situation in His almighty hands.

Pray for more than just chronic illness. When we pray, we are reminded of where our true hope lies. Christ will always come through, and He will never leave us. We can trust Him and rest assured that, one day, everything will be restored to its former glory. This promise includes the restoration of our broken bodies! 

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

When we faithfully run to the Lord in the midst of the dark, difficult, and desolate situations that accompany life with chronic illness, we can rest fully in the promise that He hears our cries for help. One day, He will restore everything that is broken. We must place our trust in Him and completely surrender our lives to the Lord.  

5. Rely on God and find your strength in Him.

We can recognize that God’s will for our lives will be done even when the symptoms of chronic illness threaten to overtake our bodies, minds, and spirits. Nothing goes unnoticed by the Lord. We can ask God for anything and trust that He will answer our prayers. He will provide in His timing. His Word remains forever.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

Isaiah 40:8

When we trust in the Lord, we can choose to remain grounded and firmly rooted in Him. His Kingdom is the only one that will stand forever. 

6. Use an acronym or pre-written prayer. 

On days with brain fog, sometimes it can help to follow a pre-made structure for prayer or even just read a pre-written prayer. 31-Day Devotionals for Life is an excellent series that provides support for days when connecting with God feels hard. I particularly enjoyed the “Chronic Illness: Walking by Faith” version by Esther Smith because it guides readers through a simple daily devotional, Scripture reading, prayer, and short questions that can be used as prompts for diving deeper into the material on days when it feels accessible. God’s Promises for Your Every Need and Where is God When It Hurts? are two other wonderful resources. 

I also like to remember a simple acronym called “ACTS” when praying. It consists of the following structure:

• Adoration
• Confession
• Thanksgiving
• Supplication 

Using this approach, a prayer when I’m battling symptoms of chronic illness might look like this:

Heavenly Father,

(Adoration): I praise You for creating my innermost being. You know me better than I know myself because You are awesome and mighty to save. Help me recognize this as You whisper quietly in my ears to remind me that I am Your child even when I struggle to hold on through the storms of life with chronic illness. 

(Confession): I pray that, even when I cannot sense Your faithful presence in my life, You would remind me that You are sovereign over all things. Lord, I recognize that I struggle to sense Your faithfulness during the dark and desolate days marked by chronic illness. Please help me draw near to You and provide stillness as I trust in You. 

(Thanksgiving): Thank you for your faithful promises to me. I praise you for fashioning my body in a way that you deem fearful and wonderful in Your eyes. Calm my soul and remind me that Your faithfulness is everlasting through the ages… You are powerful over everything, and I pray that I would find rest in You alone. I praise You for You are faithful and mighty to save. Thank you for the provision You have provided and continue providing. 

(Supplication): Protect my steps as a trust in You. Give me eyes to see my body as Your beautiful workmanship that was created in Your image. Remind me that I am Your child and that You will one day restore everything to its former glory, including my broken body. Please provide a sense of purpose and protection over my life as I trust in You. Help me surrender my life each day as I face new challenges with chronic illness. 

I pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

As chronic illness warriors, we might find the supplication portion of prayer the easiest to connect with and pray for… I know I often do! While there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s equally important to remember to praise God through the hard times and to thank Him for His faithfulness in the past. We can trust that He will remain faithful in the future because He has an outstanding track record. The Lord has been with us as we’ve survived each of the darkest days we’ve encountered on earth. 

Another prayer in the midst of a chronic illness flare might sound something like this:

Dear God, 

When the symptoms of chronic illness threaten to overtake my mind, body, and spirit, help me see my body as a beautiful workmanship that was created in Your image. Provide a way through the darkest days with Your nearness, stillness, presence, and compassion when all hope feels lost. Please lead me to continue praising You when I struggle to see Your plan and purpose for my life in the midst of all of this deep pain and suffering. Lord, I believe but please help my unbelief.

Create a pure heart in me that longs to hear Your voice and desires to sense Your calling over my life. Give me eyes to see and ears to clearly hear Your faithfulness. Help me proclaim Your name for generations to come. Keep me in perfect peace. 

Please help me see Your provision and fully trust that you will provide in Your timing. Fashion my heart so that it longs to commune with You every hour of the day. Mold my life to be in accordance with Your will. Help me to see others as you see them and to have a heart after Your own heart.

I pray for all of this Your mighty name. Amen.

Throughout scripture, we are constantly reminded of God’s faithfulness to us. Jeremiah 29:13, for example, declares,

You will seek me and you will find me when you search for me with your whole heart.

Don’t stop trusting God, because He will provide. Romans 10:11 reminds us that those who trust in the Lord will not be put to shame. Let’s continue to press on through the dark trials of chronic illness, friend. We know that God will remain victorious over everything in the end, and I’m cheering for you!