Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Emma
Do you have friends who are not around and want to pray about the situation?
Welcome to this site where I invite you to make use of these seven hopeful prayers for absent friends. Each prayer covers a particular scenario, but you can easily alter the wording as you need to in order to fit your specific circumstance. These prayers are to help you as you seek guidance and comfort from God.
You may also be interested in looking at morning prayers for family and friends, or prayers for arguments in relationships. I invite you to share your prayer requests and comments at the end of this article as well.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that friendships are important relationships and gives us guidance on a helpful perspective to have for our friends:
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12.10, ESV).
Yet, when our friends are absent for whatever reason, the relationship can become strained, or more challenging. If this is where you find yourself, then please use these prayers to seek God for guidance, strength, and grace to navigate this situation, directed by love.
Short Prayer For Absent Friends
Dear God, I am a little bummed out about my friends who are absent from me right now. What worries me is that I don’t know why they are not around or communicating with me. It’s like they are ghosting me and I don’t know the reason. I miss them and the conversations we have. I pray that I can get some answers, somehow. In the meantime, please give me peace about this whole situation. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Friends Far Away
Lord, I pray for my friends who are far away from me. I am grateful that with technology we can keep in touch with each other, but that only goes so far. I wish we all lived closer to one another, but simply is not possible with each of us having connections and responsibilities where we are currently located.
I pray against the pull of distance that could pull us further apart from each other. I pray that we all make a concerted effort to keep our relationships as strong as we can, despite the circumstances. These are people I care about, so I don’t just want to write them off, or not try.
I pray for guidance and strength as I navigate this new kind of relationship with my far-flung friends. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Absent Friends Out Of Town
Dear Lord God, I have close friends who are going to be out of town for quite a while and I already miss them. They just seem absent from my life since they are not around and near me.
Between the time zone differences and our different schedules, it feels like they have just disappeared. That cliche of out-of-sight-out-of-mind really is kind of true for me. I don’t want to lose their friendship, but I worry about how we are going to connect once they return.
I pray for a sense of peace in the midst of all of this. I pray for their safety and I ask that you help us all to somehow keep our relationship together while we are apart from each other. I ask this through Jesus Christ, Amen.
Prayer For Friends Who Have Grown Apart
Dear God, I come to you in a bit of desperation as I feel like a couple of friends have grown apart. We used to meet up regularly or chat by phone, so we were actively involved in each other’s lives.
But lately, we haven’t talked as much or seen each other in quite some time. We attempt to make plans but someone always comes up with an excuse for backing out or cancelling. If I have done something to hurt them, please show me, Lord, because I cannot think of anything as to why this is happening.
I feel hurt that our friendship seems to be crumbling, I feel lonely in their absence, and I have no idea how to stop it or fix it. If this is something that is just supposed to happen, then I pray for patience and the ability to accept it gracefully. I also pray for clarity because right now I am confused. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayer For Friends Who Have Moved Away
Dear God in heaven, our dear friends have moved away and while we are happy they are in a new place where they need to be, we are concerned that our friendship will be less than it was, or even disappear.
I know it can’t be what it was simply because we are not in the same place and they need to make new friends, but I don’t just want to write this relationship off due to distance. I pray we can find some way to have the best long-distance friendship we can come up with. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayer For Absent Friend Due To Conflict
God, I need your help. I am in conflict with a friend and he is in conflict with me and now we both seem to have disappeared each other from our lives. I am absent from him and he is absent from me.
I am not really sure how this all happened but I know that a little disagreement between us has now grown into the possible ending of our friendship. I don’t want that to happen, so please show me what I need to do. I can’t control what he does or how he reacts, but I can take responsibility for my part in this.
Please help us to resolve this conflict and restore a solid friendship. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Absent Friend Due To A Job
Father God, I must confess that although I am very thankful my friend has a new job, I am disappointed that her work has really put a damper on our friendship. We haven’t been able to get together for almost two months now as a result.
It’s like we are absent from each other. We’ve only been able to reach each other with texts back and forth, but even those are surface-level. I pray for direction because I don’t know how to handle this, or what to do to try and fix it or make it better. I keep hoping we’ll be able to get together in person and talk, but something always comes up with her job.
I don’t want to lose my friend, Lord. Please help us both, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Final Thoughts
Friendship is a precious gift from God. It is a relationship that is built on love, trust, and shared experiences. Friends are there for us through thick and thin, and they help us to grow in our faith.
When our friends are absent or away, it can be difficult to stay connected with them. We may miss their company, and we may worry about them. However, there is one thing that we can always do to stay connected with our friends, even when they are far away: we can pray for them.
Praying for our friends who are absent or away is a powerful way to show our love and support for them. It is also a way to ask God to watch over them and protect them. When we pray for our friends, we are putting our trust in God to take care of them.
The Bible has many verses that teach us about the importance of praying for our friends. In 1 Thessalonians 5:25, Paul writes, “pray for all the saints.” This includes our friends who are absent or away.
Another verse that supports the importance of praying for our friends is James 5.16. It says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
When we pray for our friends, we are asking God to heal them and to give them strength. We are also owning up to our part in the relationship and our need for grace as well.
In addition to the seven prayers found above, I’d like to encourage you with a few general suggestions on specific things you can pray for your absent friends.
For their safety and protection. You can pray that God will watch over your friends and protect them from harm, just like you would for your own family.
For their spiritual growth. You can pray that God will open their hearts to his love and truth.
For their relationships. You can pray that God will bless their relationships with family, friends, and coworkers.
For their health and well-being. You can pray that God will heal them from any physical or emotional pain.
For their peace and joy. You can pray that God will fill them with his peace and joy, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
I encourage you to take some time today to pray for your friends who are absent or away. Ask God to watch over them, protect them, and bless them in all that they do. You may be surprised at how much your prayers can make a difference in their lives, as well as your own. Keep praying and continue to grow closer to God.