Prayer for Strength: 20 Catholic Prayers for Hard Times

For the diagnosis, the redundancy letter, the funeral, the temptation, and the morning you cannot get out of bed

A prayer for strength asks God to give you the power to carry what you cannot carry alone: grief, illness, fear, temptation, exhaustion or a season where everything goes wrong at once. Scripture promises that God "gives power to the faint" (Isaiah 40:29) and that His power "is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9), so weakness is the qualification for this prayer. This page gives 20 complete prayers for strength in hard times, organised by need, with a Scripture verse for each, plus the great prayers of trust from St Teresa of Ávila, St Ignatius of Loyola, St Charles de Foucauld and St John Henry Newman.

You did not land here by accident. Something is heavy today. Do not wait until you feel strong enough to pray; that day will not come on its own. Pray the first prayer below right now, in the next thirty seconds. No one knows the day or the hour (Mark 13:32). Today is the day God gave you to start leaning on Him.

When you are running on empty, reading is hard. Listening is easier. Pro gives you audio-guided prayer sessions for anxiety, healing and protection, calming audio devotionals for the commute and the sleepless hours, a circle of believers to pray with, and counselling with a qualified therapist. Get Pro. $49 once, lifetime access, no subscription, 30-day money-back guarantee.

1. Short Prayers for Strength Right Now

The best short prayer for strength is one you can say in a single breath, in a car park, in a hospital corridor or at your desk with the door closed. Christians have prayed arrow prayers like these for two thousand years. Learn one by heart today, and fire it at heaven every time the weight comes back.

1. I Can Do All Things in Him

Lord Jesus, I cannot do this. You can. Strengthen me for the next hour, and then the hour after that. I can do all things in You who strengthen me. Amen.

"I can do all things in him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). Paul wrote this from prison, about learning to live with plenty and with hunger.

2. God Is My Refuge (A Prayer From Psalm 46)

God, You are my refuge and my strength, a very present help in trouble. The ground is shaking under me. I will not fear, because You are here. Be still in me, and let me know that You are God. Amen.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1); "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

3. The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Traditional prayer of the Eastern Christian Churches, prayed slowly with the breath, often on a prayer rope. It echoes blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:47) and the tax collector (Luke 18:13). Catholics, Orthodox and many Protestants pray it.

Add the five words beneath the Divine Mercy image, "Jesus, I trust in You," and you have a prayer for every moment of the day. If you want a prayer written for your exact situation, our free prayer generator will write one in seconds.

2. Prayers for Strength in Hard Times

A prayer for strength in hard times is honest about how bad it is and stubborn about who God is. The Psalms are full of these prayers: they complain, they weep, they accuse, and they end in trust. Do the same. Tell God exactly what has happened, then tell Him you are holding on to Him anyway.

4. When Everything Is Falling Apart

Lord, my life is coming apart at the seams. I have lost [name it: my job, my health, my marriage, my peace], and I do not know what comes next. You are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. I have nowhere else to stand. Hold me up today. Show me the one next thing to do, and give me the strength to do it. I will take this road one step at a time, with You beside me on it. Amen.

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 18:2)

5. Prayer for Strength Through Money Worries or Job Loss

Father, the bills are bigger than the bank account and I lie awake doing the sums. You feed the birds and clothe the lilies; You know what my family needs. Give me strength to face the numbers honestly, humility to ask for help, and diligence to look for work every day. Open a door I cannot see. Keep me from panic, from dishonest shortcuts and from taking my fear out on the people I love. Give us this day our daily bread. Amen.

"Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." (Matthew 6:34)

6. When Someone Has Hurt Me Deeply

Jesus, I have been betrayed, and the wound is fresh. I replay it all day. Give me strength to get through today without revenge, without poison in my words and without closing my heart to everyone. I cannot forgive yet, but I want to want to. Begin that work in me. Carry this burden, because I cannot carry it and live. Amen.

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you." (Psalm 55:22)

For a plan to get your finances under control, read our guide to debt and money as a Catholic. For the long road of forgiving someone who hurt you, read how to forgive.

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3. Prayers for Strength in Illness and Pain

Illness drains strength from the body and then goes after the soul. These two prayers ask for strength to keep going through treatment and pain. Pray them alongside your medical care; never stop a treatment because you have prayed. For prayers that ask God directly for a cure, go to our collection of Catholic prayers for healing.

7. Prayer for Strength in Chronic Illness or Pain

Lord, the pain is here when I wake and here when I try to sleep. People ask how I am, and I am tired of the answer. You promised not to let go of me. Hold my right hand today. Give me strength for the stairs, the appointments, the forms and the long afternoons. Keep me from bitterness. Let me offer what I cannot change for someone who needs Your grace today. And on the days I just endure, count that as prayer. Amen.

"Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

8. Prayer for Strength Through Treatment

Jesus, my body is wasting away and the treatment makes it worse before it makes it better. Renew my inner self day by day. Give me strength for the next session, patience in the waiting room, and kindness toward the nurses and the people who love me. When I look in the mirror and do not recognise myself, remind me that I am still Yours. Amen.

"Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day." (2 Corinthians 4:16)

4. Prayers for Strength Against Temptation

Strength against temptation comes from God's grace, used early. Most battles are lost in the first few seconds, so pray before the fight, at the first flicker, and get away from the occasion of sin fast. God promises a way of escape every time (1 Corinthians 10:13). Your job is to take it.

9. Prayer for Strength in Temptation

Lord, I feel the pull right now. I know where this road goes and I know how I will feel at the end of it. Give me the strength to say no in the next ten seconds. Show me the way of escape You promised, and give me the courage to take it: to stand up, to leave the room, to put the phone down, to call someone. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. St Michael, defend me. Amen.

"God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

10. Prayer for Strength to Break an Addiction

Father, I have tried to stop on my own and I have failed more times than I can count. I am done pretending I can fix this alone. Give me the strength to tell someone the truth today. Lead me to confession, to good help and to people who will hold me accountable. When I fall, let me get up faster each time. Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to You, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25)

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Confession is the sacrament that breaks the cycle of sin and shame; our guide to going to confession walks you through it. Free self-assessment quizzes are on our pages about overcoming pornography and gambling.

5. Prayers for Strength When You Are Exhausted

Exhaustion is a cry for rest, and God answers it with rest: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden" (Matthew 11:28). Many tired people need sleep, help and a day off more than they need another devotion. Ask God for strength, and then let Him give it through a nap, a friend and someone else doing the dishes.

11. When I Am Too Tired to Go On

Lord, I have nothing left. I am tired in my body, tired in my mind and tired of being tired. You said that those who wait for You will renew their strength. I am waiting. Lift me on wings like eagles for one more day. Teach me to rest without guilt, to say no without shame and to accept help without pride. Amen.

"They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

12. Prayer for Carers and Parents Running on Empty

Jesus, everyone needs something from me, and I have run out. The baby, the teenager, my mother, the job, the house. Strengthen my hands for the work You have given me. Let me see Your face in the people I care for, and let me feel Your care for me. Send me help, and give me the humility to accept it. Do not let me grow weary of doing good. Amen.

"And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9)

If exhaustion has become burnout, read our guide to burnout and how to recover. If you are caring for a frail parent, our guide to caring for aging parents as a Catholic covers respite and practical help.

6. A Prayer for When You Want to Give Up

Wanting to give up is a human feeling, and great saints have felt it. The prophet Elijah lay down under a tree and asked God to take his life. God answered him gently. He sent an angel with bread and water, let him sleep, woke him and fed him again, "else the journey will be too great for you" (1 Kings 19:4-8). Feeling this way is never a sign that your faith has failed. Depression is an illness, and it needs treatment as well as prayer.

13. Prayer Under the Broom Tree

Lord, like Elijah, I have had enough. I am lying down under the tree and I do not want to get up. Send Your angel to me. Send me bread for today, sleep for tonight and someone to sit with me. Do not let me believe the lie that I am a burden or that nothing will ever change. You fed Elijah twice because the journey was too great for him. Feed me too. Keep me alive and keep me safe until the light comes back. Amen.

"Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you." (1 Kings 19:7)

If you are thinking about ending your life, please reach out right now. You are not alone, and this feeling can pass with help.

US: call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline).
UK and Ireland: call Samaritans on 116 123.
Australia: call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Anywhere else: find a free local line at findahelpline.com.
In immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

Talk to your doctor, and keep taking any medicine you have been prescribed. A Catholic therapist can help you heal in mind and faith together; directories such as CatholicTherapists.com list therapists faithful to Church teaching. The Church entrusts every suffering soul to God's mercy (CCC 2282-2283). Read our guides to despair and Catholic help for depression.

Strength comes back faster when you are not alone

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7. Prayers for Strength for Someone Else

Praying for strength for a friend is one of the most loving things you can do, and you can do it today without them asking. St Paul prayed constantly for his churches to be "strengthened with all power" (Colossians 1:11). Pray these by name, then send a short message: "I prayed for you this morning."

14. Prayer for a Friend Going Through Hard Times

Lord, You know what [name] is carrying right now, and You know it better than I do. Strengthen [him/her] with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. Surround [him/her] with good people. Give [him/her] rest at night and hope in the morning. Show me how to help without crowding, and let [him/her] feel Your love through mine. Amen.

"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy." (Colossians 1:11)

15. Prayer for My Family in a Hard Season

Father, our family is going through a storm. We are tired and short with one another, and some of us are frightened. Be the strength of this house. Give us patience at the dinner table, gentleness in our words and the humility to say sorry first. Let the joy of the Lord be our strength, even when we cannot feel it. Holy Family of Nazareth, who fled into Egypt in the night, pray for us. Amen.

"Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

For a family that needs a wall of prayer around it, our collection of Catholic prayers for protection covers family, home and travel. Men and women in particular seasons will find more in our prayers for men and prayers for women.

8. Traditional Prayers of Strength and Trust

The saints learned strength by surrendering, and their prayers teach you to do the same. These five prayers have carried Christians through prison, war, bereavement and long illness. The first four come from Catholic saints. The fifth, the Serenity Prayer, comes from a Protestant theologian and is loved by Christians of every tradition. Each is given with its true source.

16. Let Nothing Disturb You (St Teresa of Ávila)

Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.

Traditional Catholic prayer known as St Teresa's bookmark, found written in the breviary of St Teresa of Ávila (1515 to 1582), Doctor of the Church. In Spanish it begins "Nada te turbe."

17. The Suscipe (St Ignatius of Loyola)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me; to You, Lord, I return it. All is Yours; dispose of it wholly according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, for this is enough for me. Amen.

Traditional Catholic prayer from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola (1491 to 1556), in the Contemplation to Attain Love. Translations vary slightly.

18. Prayer of Abandonment (St Charles de Foucauld)

Father, I abandon myself into Your hands; do with me what You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You. I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me, and in all Your creatures. I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your hands I commend my soul; I offer it to You with all the love of my heart, for I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into Your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father. Amen.

Adapted from a meditation by St Charles de Foucauld (1858 to 1916) on Jesus' last words, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46). He was canonised in 2022.

19. Lead, Kindly Light (St John Henry Newman)

Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.

First verse of the poem written by St John Henry Newman in 1833, on a becalmed ship in the Mediterranean, while he was weak after a serious illness. He was canonised in 2019.

20. The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 to 1971), an American Protestant theologian, and made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step groups. A short form; longer versions exist.

Each of these prayers asks for strength by giving God control. That is the Christian secret: we grow strong by trusting. Read more about the saints who prayed them in our guide to the saints, or find a saint for your situation with the free patron saint finder.

9. Bible Verses for Strength

The Bible verses for strength that Christians return to most are promises God made to people in real trouble: exiles, prisoners, widows and the sick. Write one on a card and put it where you will see it at your worst moment of the day.

Isaiah 40:29-31: God gives power to the faint; those who wait for the Lord renew their strength.
Isaiah 41:10: "Fear not, for I am with you... I will strengthen you, I will help you."
Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Psalm 27:1: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"
Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 73:26: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever."
Nehemiah 8:10: "The joy of the LORD is your strength."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... for when I am weak, then I am strong."
Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me."
Ephesians 6:10: "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."
Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

For help reading Scripture well, start with our guide to the Bible.

10. How to Pray for Strength When You Have None

The way to pray for strength when you have none is to pray small, pray often and let the Church carry you. Grand plans fail in hard seasons. Tiny habits survive them. Start these today.

Say one arrow prayer on waking. Before your feet touch the floor: "Jesus, I trust in You." That is your morning prayer on the worst days, and it counts.
Name the burden. Tell God plainly what is crushing you. The Psalms do this on every page.
Pray one prayer from this page at the same time each day. Tie it to the kettle, the commute or lunch.
Get to Mass. Sunday at least, and one weekday if you can. The Eucharist is food for the journey. Sitting in the pew counts even when you cannot pray a word.
Go to confession. Guilt drains strength faster than anything. Unload it this week.
Tell one person. A friend, a priest, a doctor or a counsellor. Strength grows in company; Elijah got bread from an angel, and you might get it from a neighbour.
Look after your body. Sleep, eat, walk outside, drink water. God made you body and soul, and the body's strength feeds the soul's.
Offer it up. At night, give the day's weight to Christ for someone else who is suffering. Your struggle becomes a prayer.

Step 3 is where most people stall. Pro makes it automatic: audio-guided prayer sessions and calming audio devotionals you just press play on, every day, even offline. Get Pro. $49 once, lifetime access, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Why only $49 once when the big prayer apps charge $59.95 to $100 a year? It is all digital, made once and shared with every member, with no office or agency to pay for. We are rooting for you.

For a complete guide to prayer itself, read how to pray. If a hard question about God is weighing you down, bring it to our free ask tool.

You have 20 prayers for strength. Pray one every day until the storm passes.

Hard times end, and the people who come out of them stronger are usually the ones who kept praying through them. Pro gives you everything to keep going: audio-guided prayer sessions for anxiety, healing and protection, calming audio devotionals, the full study library of Bible studies, prayer frameworks and worship playlists, a circle of believers to pray with, counselling with a qualified therapist, and the 90-day Freedom Programme if an addiction is part of your battle. Why only $49 once when the big prayer apps charge $59.95 to $100 a year? It is all digital, made once and shared with every member, with no office or agency to pay for. We are rooting for you. Pro is material and community for daily prayer; strength and every grace come from God, and the sacraments and every prayer on this page are free. No one knows the day or the hour. Start today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a short prayer for strength?

A short prayer for strength is "Lord Jesus, I cannot do this, but You can. Strengthen me," based on Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me." Other short prayers are "Jesus, I trust in You" and the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

What is a good prayer for strength in hard times?

A good prayer for strength in hard times names the trouble honestly and holds on to God anyway, the way the Psalms do. Pray Psalm 46 ("God is our refuge and strength") or St Teresa of Ávila's "Let nothing disturb you," then ask God for the strength to take the one next step in front of you.

What Bible verse is best for strength?

The most loved Bible verses for strength are Isaiah 40:31 ("they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength"), Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9 and 2 Corinthians 12:9, where God tells Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Which saint should I pray to for strength?

Catholics ask St Michael the Archangel for strength in spiritual battle, St Joseph for strength to provide and protect, St Jude and St Rita in desperate or impossible situations, and St Teresa of Ávila and St Ignatius of Loyola, whose prayers of surrender have strengthened Christians for centuries.

Who wrote the Serenity Prayer?

The Serenity Prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, an American Protestant theologian, and became famous through Alcoholics Anonymous. Its best-known form is: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Is it a sin to feel weak or want to give up?

No. Feeling weak is human, and the prophet Elijah once asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4). God answered him with food, sleep and company. If you are thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 in the US, Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia.

How do I pray when I am too tired to pray?

When you are too tired to pray, pray one short line, such as "Jesus, I trust in You," and let it be enough. Sit in a church without words, listen to a prayer read aloud, or ask someone to pray for you. God counts the desire to pray as prayer.