Unspoken Prayer Requests: What They Are & How to Pray for One

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Everything you need to know about this controversial form of prayer

Co-authored by Mark Russell and Carmine Shannon

Last Updated: September 9, 2024 Fact Checked

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• What is an unspoken prayer request?
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• How to Ask For Unspoken Prayers
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• How to Pray for Others
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• Expert Interview

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An unspoken prayer request is when someone publicly asks to be in someone’s prayers but doesn’t give details, often because the issue is too sensitive or personal to talk about. While unspoken prayer requests are completely fine and within the teachings of the Bible, it can be helpful to confide in other people, even if it’s just a few loved ones. If you need to stay discreet for now, though, we’ll walk you through how to respectfully make an unspoken prayer request, plus what to do if you get one, yourself!

Unspoken Prayer Requests

• An unspoken prayer request is when someone publicly asks for prayers without giving the reason for the prayer.
• Unspoken prayer requests are often for deeply personal, painful, or sensitive issues.
• If you receive an unspoken prayer request, consider saying a prayer for the person’s physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and material well-being.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

What is an unspoken prayer request?

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1. Unspoken prayer requests are public requests for prayers without detail. Sometimes a member of a congregation or Christian group will ask for prayers for a situation that is too personal or sensitive to give more information about.[[Image:Unspoken Prayer Request Step 1 Version 2.jpg|center]]

   • Unspoken prayer requests can be controversial since some people see them as a cry for attention or an ask for prayer without bestowing trust. However, there are plenty of passages in the Bible that support this practice.
     • According to Romans 8:26-27, humans can never know what God knows—we don’t even really know ourselves, or what we should be praying for. So whenever we pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and turns the prayer into a message of the unseen truth of the situation. For that reason, we don’t need to know what we’re praying for to pray for someone.
   • Another critique of unspoken prayer requests is that as the person praying, you won’t know if God’s work has been done or not. However, God’s work is always being done, and in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us not to do good to see the results—do good just to do good.
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Ask For Unspoken Prayers

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1. 1
   Ask to be kept in people’s hearts during call to prayer. If you’re in a religious group that does call to prayer at the end of services, you can ask to be prayed for without giving any details. You can say something like “My family needs your prayers right now, please keep us in your hearts and minds.”

   • If you ask to be prayed for during a service and you’re asked the reason, you can just say “unspoken.”
2. 2
   Post on social media or online religious groups. You may have seen posts that say things like “Please pray for me, God knows the reason, thank you.” You can explain as much as you feel comfortable with, or you could go to an unspoken prayer request group and just write something like “Thoughts and prayers” or “Prayers for loved ones.”

   • In Matthew 6, the continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds his followers that God is aware of your needs before you even are. While it’s easier to pray with direction, God needs no help with “knowing” your situation.
   • There are forums and Facebook groups where you can post unspoken prayer requests online.
3. 3
   Explain you don’t want to hide things from your community. To be in a tight-knit community, you have to be vulnerable with other people and share your issues with them. However, not all prayer requests are for you, and not all prayer requests are appropriate for every situation. To explain that the request doesn’t reflect on your relationships, you could say:

   • “This request is unspoken because it involves someone other than me.”
   • “I’m keeping this request unspoken, not because I want to keep things from you, but because it’s too difficult for me to talk about right now.”
4. 4
   Confide in trusted friends, if you can. Christian faith tells us to share our burdens, so if you can, let a few people know what’s really going on. While it can be difficult to open up to other people, especially if you’re afraid of gossip, being vulnerable with your religious community can build even stronger relationships and support groups.

   • Since we are to share our burdens, however, it also means you can ask your community to shoulder the burden of not knowing, since you have to carry the burden of it being unsaid.
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Section 3 of 3:

Prayers for Unspoken Prayer Request

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1. 1
   Prayers for the body Since you don’t know what the prayer request was for, consider saying a few short prayers that go over each aspect of the person’s life. To start, ask God to take care of their physical body and health.

   • “Dear Lord, please let ___ be in good health, let their pains be eased, cure them of their ailments as you see fit.”
   • “God, let your will be done in helping ____, fill their body with your Spirit and carry them safely through wherever your path brings them.”
2. 2
   Prayers for the mind Mental health can be difficult to open up about, especially in a public setting. Say a prayer for their mental well-being—even if they aren’t struggling with an illness, just the fact that their prayer is unspoken means something is weighing on their mind.

   • “Lord, please remind ____ of your light, of the blessing of their life, and lift their burdens from their mind. Clear their conscience so that they can be a better follower of your will and free to spread your word and love.”
   • “Dear Lord, please erase ____’s mental anguish, keep their head clear and free of dark thoughts as they go through this difficult period. Remind them that You are always there for them, that your love for them is boundless, and that they can always rely on You.”
3. 3
   Prayers for families and communities Sometimes unspoken prayers aren’t for the person requesting them. In fact, if someone doesn’t want to spread the details of a loved one’s struggles, there’s a good chance they’d make some sort of unspoken prayer request.

   • “God, keep ____’s family safe and healthy. Surround them with Godly people filled with your love. Cradle their communities in your hand so they and their loved ones are supported by you.”
   • “Dear Lord, Please watch over _____’s loved ones and protect them from harm. Give them the strength and health to spread your grace into the communities around them, so that your love may grow between them and all mankind.”
4. 4
   Prayers for spiritual growth Sometimes when people find themselves distanced from their spiritual practice, they reach out to their communities for help to get back on track. Call upon the Holy Spirit, who guides our spiritual connection with God, to help them.

   • “Dear Lord, let ____ find you again. Let them see you in the smallest things, let the Holy Spirit move through them as they are brought back to your light. Fill them with excitement at your presence, and bring them back into your fold.”
   • “Holy Spirit, guide _____ back to the word, give them the strength to act by your holy teachings. Give them the adaptability to help them spread your love. Surround them with people who bring them to You.”
5. 5
   Prayers for material needs As Christians, we should support our community members in any way we can—with food, finances, child care, etc.—because we should support all people. While you send this person your prayers, consider investing in community support networks, too, like foodbanks, shelters, daycares, schools, and more.

   • “Lord, I know you provide all things for us, even those things we don’t know we need. Let ___ not worry as you work in your ways that are unknown to us. Let me follow your will so that I can be part of their light, and bring them ease to their suffering.”
   • “Lord, I thank you for the food you have given me, the bed I sleep in, and all of the comforts I enjoy in my life. Let ____’s life be filled with the same comfort and joy, let them want for nothing in your care.”
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