Is your heart troubled? Are you feeling like the events around you are out of control and it's beginning to take a toll on your mental and emotional peace? One of the hardest parts of knowing peace is understanding how it has nothing to do with control. Turning to prayer for peace can offer a retreat from what is burdening your heart. It can help replace your worries and concerns with strength and comfort. If you're having trouble trusting God or finding the words to pray above the howling of the scary storms, feel free to offer up these words to the Lord now!
When anxiety and fears begin to shake the foundation of your peace of mind, the power of prayer can bring you back into God's promises of hope. Below are our favorite prayers for peace to speak when we need God's truths to speak over our hearts and minds. We have included both longer prayers that can help guide you into a personal quiet time as well as shorter prayers that you can memorize and speak when you need to remind yourself of God's promise of peace. Whether you are seeking comfort, rest, release of worry, or a good nights sleep, may these prayers provide for your needs!
Oh Lord, sometimes my insides feel like a battle zone, where missiles are falling too close to home. Other times I'm caught in an endless storm, with thoughts flying out of control. Confusion reigns and defeat creeps in to steal my joy. I need your peace—the deep-down-in-your-heart kind that stays with me day and night and speaks confidently into the wind. Calm my anxious spirit, Lord; all the attacking "if-only's" and "what-ifs" fill me with needless worry.
I know that trust is a big part of experiencing peace and that fear has no place in my life. Most of the things I worry about or dread don't even happen. So I'm declaring my trust in you. I'm releasing the reins of my life again and asking you to take control. I may need to pray this same prayer daily, but I'm tired of the frenzy of life that leaves my schedule and my thoughts without any margin. I need more of you, Lord, and less of me.
I surrender and admit: I can't control people, plans, or even all my circumstances, but I can yield those things to you, and focus on your goodness. Thank you today for every good gift you've given, every blessing you've sent, all the forgiveness I did not deserve, and, yes, for every trial you've allowed into my life. You bring good out of every circumstance if I'll only let go and believe you. I know that when I pray and give thanks instead of worrying, you have promised that I can experience the kind of peace that passes all understanding. That's your kind of peace, Lord. And it's the kind I crave.
Whenever I’m stressed, anxious, or afraid, help me remember to run to you. You're the only one that can calm my fears and end my fretful behavior. Whether in trivial or heavy matters, I know you will not only give me peace; Lord, you will be my peace. And when I draw close to you—in prayer, in reading your Word, in helping another, in taking my mind off myself—you will be there, up close and personal.
I can't handle these times alone, Lord. Will you speak peace and calm my storms, or hold my hand while we walk through them together? Will you bring the reassuring wisdom of those who have come through similar times into my life? Thank you, Lord. I'm trusting you. In the name of the One who makes the wind and the waves stand still, Amen. ~ Rebecca Barlow Jordan
Almighty God, We bless you for our lives, we give you praise for your abundant mercy and grace we receive. We thank you for your faithfulness even though we are not that faithful to you. Lord Jesus, we ask you to give us all around peace in our mind, body, soul, and spirit. We want you to heal and remove everything that is causing stress, grief, and sorrow in our lives.
Please guide our path through life and make our enemies be at peace with us. Let your peace reign in our family, at our place of work, businesses and everything we lay our hands on.
Let your angels of peace go ahead of us when we go out and stay by our side when we return. In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Debbie McDaniel
Download a personal PDF copy of these beautiful prayers for peace HERE. Print these and keep them close to you whether at home, in the car, or at work to remind yourself to trade your worries and concerns for God's peace and comfort.
Although the Peace Prayer is commonly associated with St. Francis of Assisi, it is important to note that he did not actually pen this prayer. Despite its authorship being attributed elsewhere, the Peace Prayer continues to be a beloved and enduring piece of traditional prayer literature
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Lord, I come before you ready to let go and pour out my worries, anxieties, and fears at Your feet. I am claiming and declaring Your promises for blessings of peace and strength over my life. Bring peace into my soul that passes all worldly understanding and make me a light for others to see Your strength.
Dear God, We’re in need of your peace and truth to soothe our hearts and spirits right now. When we find ourselves awake in the middle of the night, our pressing needs and worries can feel overwhelming. We need to be reminded of your constant love, healing, and grace. We ask for your Mighty Power to surround us.
Thank you for setting us free and for showing us that you are bigger than anything we face in this life. We lay our burdens before you, every single one, for we know they’re much safer in your hands than our own. - ~ Debbie McDaniel
O God, you are the bottomless well of peace,
the heavenly sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the giver of affection,
and you send peace to those who receive it.
Open to us this day the sea of your love,
and water us with the flowing streams of your grace.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace.
Enkindle the fire of your love in us;
plant holy reverence for you in us;
strengthen our weakness by your power;
bind us closely to you and to each other
in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Source: Clement of Rome c. 96AD
Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you for your calming steadfastness and continual presence in our lives. Sometimes, we can feel you right next to us. But sometimes, it is hard to know that you are there at all. Sometimes life gets so difficult that our hearts just cannot feel you through the pain. Sometimes you take away those feelings so that we may seek you even more fervently.
I pray today, Father, that I may rely not on my own feelings but rather on your love for me. Fill me with calmness. May I rely on your Word to be the truth that rules my life over my own understanding. Help me to see you and believe in your character even though my feelings may tell me otherwise. You are kind, you are good, and you are gracious. You are both all-powerful and all-loving. You care deeply for me and for my loved ones. Be with me as I live out these truths no matter what my circumstances are today, Lord, as we walk forward together. I love you and pray all of these things in your Son’s amazing name, Amen. ~ Kelly-Jayne McGlynn
Lord, thank you for your promise and gift of peace. Thank you that YOU are my PEACE — my perfect Prince of Peace who died on my behalf so that I could live in peace, because you have conquered the king of fear. You have trampled the enemy under your feet. Help me not to be afraid when trouble comes my way. Help me trust and rest in you at all times, regardless of what my feelings try to convince me to think. I joyfully receive your peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Lauren Gaskill
Dear Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. You came to give us your peace. It’s nothing like the world gives. It is peace born in the freedom we have in you, a gift to all God’s children—to guard our hearts and minds.
I can’t escape the troubles of this world. I may face financial difficulties, relationship breakdowns, a health crisis—so many scary challenges. But you tell me to “take heart,” to be encouraged, because you have overcome the world. You have overcome all the things that would discourage and defeat us. I am grateful for your peace that is beyond all my circumstances. ~ Dawn Wilson
Father in Heaven, I come before you today with my mind swirling with different thoughts and feelings. I have a hard decision to make and I just don't know what to do. I feel helpless and confused. I'm worried about the consequences of my decision. I worry about the impact my decision will have not only on myself but on others as well. To be honest, I fear making the wrong decision.
You know this problem before me. You know how it turns out. That's because you are the Alpha and the Omega. You know the end from the beginning. Nothing happens apart from your will and plan. Not only are you sovereign, but you are good. All your plans are holy, righteous, and good. I can trust that you know what is best for me. When I move forward with this decision, I know that it is your will and that you will use it for my good and your glory.
You are my Rock, my Savior, and my Deliverer. Be with me as I move forward in this time of confusion and difficulty. Above all, may your will be done on earth, and in my life, as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen. ~ Christina Fox
God, teach us what it means to have faith in silence. When we face trials that are beyond our understanding, help us to find peace. Help me be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. You set all things in accordance with your time. Remind us to wait patiently, and find peace in your plan. ~ Dick Woodward
Dear Lord, I need your unshakable peace! Please forgive me for placing my trust and hope in things of this earth. Lead my soul to find rest in You and in Your perfect plan for my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Gwen Smith
O Lord God,
Grant your peace to us,
for you have supplied us with all things—
the peace of rest,
the peace of the Sabbath, which has no evening;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Augustine of Hippo
O God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference;
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
- Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)
Dear Lord, Thank You for making peace possible in every circumstance. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to make peace a reality on this side of heaven. Let me be a peacemaker within my home and outside of its walls. In Jesus' name, amen. ~ Kathi Lipp
Jesus, Thank You for the home which You have blessed me with today. Thank You for the amazing family You have entrusted to me to learn from, care for, and be refined into Your image. I pray against the spiritual darkness which tries to wreak chaos in our home. In Jesus’ powerful name, I ask that You remove the work of the enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, and provide us with the fruit of the Spirit lived out daily. Remove the lies and the thoughts that divide and reunite us in any area in which we have been broken. God, You are the great Mender of our messes. Help me to cling to You and live out of a place of harmony.
I pray that when the enemy sees our family, he knows we are serving the Lord and we are sealed by the blood of Christ. May our home be a place where, when unbelievers walk into it, they experience the power of the presence of God, a peace that surpasses their understanding, and they would witness joy in all circumstances rooted in Christ. Use our home as a place of ministry and witness to the gospel of Jesus. Create a beautiful space of worship and praise for Your glory to fill up every space.
May we remember we are one in You and that no matter what others around us are choosing to do in their households, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Help me to choose today and every day to surrender to You and admit my inability to live for You on my own accord. Jesus, it is only by Your gift of the Holy Spirit that I can live out this deep longing for harmony and peace in our home. You have done it before, and I asked boldly today that You would do it again. Amen. - Emma Danzey
Lord, grant us the gift of peace within our family. Help us to communicate with love, understanding, and patience. May we support and uplift one another, even in challenging times. Let your presence be the foundation of our unity, and may harmony reign in our home. Amen.
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: "Never again war!"; "With war everything is lost". Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war" be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother", and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen.
Dear God, at the start of each day, help us to recognize you above all else. Enlighten the eyes of our heart that we might see you, and notice how you're at work through our lives. Give us wisdom to make the best choices, fill us with a desire to seek after you more than anything else in this world. Let your Spirit and power breathe in us, through us, again, fresh and new. Thank you that you are greater than anything we may face in our day. Thank you that your presence goes with us, and that your joy is never dependent on our circumstances, but it is our true and lasting strength, no matter what we're up against. We ask that your peace lead us, that it would guard our hearts and minds in you. We ask for your grace to cover our lives this day. We love you Lord...we need you. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Debbie McDaniel
Father, I want to live a life of obedience to You. Make me an instrument of Your peace. Teach me to love even my enemies. Give me the strength to wage peace when what I really want to do is wage war. Today, I choose to surrender my stubborn will to You. I lay down my emotional weapons and choose peace. Be glorified in my relationships, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland
Lord, I am overwhelmed by my situation. I can hardly find words, but I know you understand what I am going through. Oh Father – help! I know you promise to never leave me or forsake me. Be with me now- help me know you are with me. I know you will never let your children slip and fall – hold me up! Lord, give me the strength I need today to make it through this trial. Give me hope that can only come from you. In your name I pray, Amen. ~ Abby Perry
Father, today I choose to face my fears with prayer and praise. I surrender my doubts to You and choose to walk by faith - not by sight. Fill my heart and life with Your peace and help me face these uncertain times in Your strength and power. And those things I can't do anything about, Lord, are Yours. Thank You for being Peace in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland
Dear Lord, Help me remember you are indeed Lord of my life. You have the right to rule all that I think, believe and do. When I allow my mind to run to places that destroy my peace, remind me these are unauthorized thoughts. You do not want me to dwell on thoughts and emotions that contribute to unreasonable fears.
I know my mind will remain in perfect peace as I fix my thoughts on you; so Lord Jesus, let your peace rule in my heart. Remind me of the peace I have in your family, and teach me how to be thankful for those circumstances that cause me to run to you, focus on you, and abide in you. I never need live with fearful, anxious thoughts. The truth is, you are in control! ~ Dawn Wilson
Dear Lord, Sometimes it seems like I take my worries everywhere except to you. I hear people say, “God’s got this!” But how often do I live as I believe it?
I know you hear me, Lord, when I bring my concerns to you. You care about what is going on in my life, and I know you want to give me a clear, sound mind. Forgive me when I allow anxious thoughts to cloud my thinking. Help me take my anxieties to you in every circumstance, believing you will intervene and work out your eternal purposes. Give me a thankful heart—a heart that says, “I am grateful for your lovingkindness to me, Father. I know you will work out your plans for my growth, others’ good, and your glory.” ~ Dawn Wilson
Dear Lord, I thank you that I can come to You always for any reason. I’m grateful that when I pray to You, You answer me. Help me to come to You at the beginning of my fears and anxieties instead of waiting until I can’t stand them anymore. The quicker I come to You the better. You want to free me from ALL my fears. Help me look to You for help more often so that I can be radiant with Your joy. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen. ~ Jennifer Heeren
Holy Spirit, You are God. I praise you because you are holy, and I thank you for dwelling in my heart. Thank you for working in my life. You guided me into salvation, renewed my dead spirit, and you opened my eyes to the Truth. Thank you.
Help me to see you more clearly – to recognize your movement in my life. Make me more sensitive to you so I can follow you more closely. Still, I know that I am selfish and rebellious. I need you to help me be obedient when I recognize your leading. I need you.
I ask you for your help and comfort today. You know my pain and anxieties very well. Thank you for praying over me. Help me to rest in your comfort today. Help me to walk in you, the Spirit of God. Grow good fruit in my life. You are the one who produces these in me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I cannot live out these things on my own; I need you. Amen
Lord, we’re hurting. The pain feels too great. The uncertainty over the future can easily fill our minds with fear and bring huge burdens to our hearts. Please take our pain away so we can sleep peacefully in your care. We thank you that you are close and that you’re always with us. We pray for your healing and your huge grace to encircle us as never before. We ask for your angels of protection and comfort to surround us in the night. Thank you that you are our Redeemer and you will never waste our pain. Amen ~ Debbie McDaniel
Father, Sometimes I feel afraid in the tough trials of life. Sometimes the darkness overwhelms me, and I grow discouraged as I face the uncertainties of life, wearying temptations, or scary attacks from the enemy. But this is not what you have for me, and my victory comes from you.
Satan wants me to believe I fight my spiritual battles by myself. Help me remember I am not alone in my battles. Your Word is clear. You have commanded me to be strong and take courage in you, and that is my desire. I can count on your presence wherever I go, and rely on the power and provision of your presence in my times of deepest need. Thank you for being near, for walking with me every day. ~ Dawn Wilson
Lord, we know that your word reminds us over and over that we do not have to fear. We know that you are with us and your protection and Presence and power. We ask that you would cover us and remind us that you have stationed your angels around us to guard us in all our ways. Thank you that you never sleep or slumber, you are constantly watching over us, constantly aware, so we can get some sleep. We choose faith over fear right now and ask that you would surround us with your peace. ~ Debbie McDaniel
Dear God, Our world is hurting and broken. We pray for those who have lost loved ones this week, please comfort them in their grief and loss, and cover them with your peace and presence, as only your Spirit can do. We know that in whatever we face, you are our Peace and Refuge, a very present help in times of trouble. Thank you that you remind us throughout your Word, that we do not face the storms alone, but you are always with us. Whispering calm. Speaking peace. Bringing rest to our souls.
We confess our need for you. We ask you to forgive us for trying to figure everything out on our own, for not trusting that you are more than able and powerful to work on our behalf. Forgive us for picking back up what we already determined to lay down at your feet. Give us the ability to trust you more, give us a heart that finds rest in your presence, and give us the wisdom to seek peace and pursue it, remembering it’s only to be found in you alone.
Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Thank you that you care for us. Thank you that the peace of your loving and strong presence guards and protects our hearts and minds in you. Thank you that we do not have to walk in fear or live in overwhelmed cycles of worry and stress. Thank you for your voice that breaks through the greatest wind and storm swirling around us, and whispers “Peace, be still.” Thank you that you sent your One and Only Son to set us free. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen. ~ Debbie McDaniel
Dear God, I am in trouble. I am weary, worried, and worn out. Not knowing how to pray, I turn to the Psalms and repeat their pleas for my own heart: “O Lord, deliver me! O save me for Your mercies sake. Deliver me in Your righteousness. Deliver me from the hand of the enemy. Deliver me from all my troubles. Deliver me from my distress. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me. I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks on me. You are my help and deliverer.” You have said, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” I claim that promise now. Father, You know what’s happening in my life, in my family, in my church. You know the webs of worry spinning in my mind. Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen! ~ Dr. David Jeremiah
Dear God, I am prone to worry. I let the happenings of the world, the elections and the economy sit heavy on me. I need to find your peace. I invite you to restructure my thinking. May my hope be you. May my peace be you. May you help love flow out from me. Give me clarity. May I change what I am able to change and release what I can't. May I know that the greatest joy is staying where you are. God, thank you that you have the whole world in your hands. I need not fear because you are the best manager, orchestrator and caretaker. You made it all. I believe in your plan. Amen.
Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Thank you that you promise to give the worried, the hurried, the pressured, and stressed out - rest and peace for our souls - if we'll just come before you. Thank you that you already know all that concerns us, and you care. We’re so grateful for your reminder that we don't have to carry it all on our own. Forgive us for the times that we’ve tried to fix things in our own power, for not taking the time to rest, or coming to you first with our needs and burdens. Thank you for the refreshing that comes from your Spirit, filling us with joy, covering us with a shield, leading us forward with hope. Equip us to be those who take notice of others who seem weary and burdened too. Help us to slow down, to take the time, to point others to you. ~ Debbie McDaniel
Dear God, bless this home with your peace. May love and harmony fill every corner, and may we find solace and serenity within these walls. Guide us to resolve conflicts with understanding and kindness. Let this home be a sanctuary of tranquility and love. In your name, we pray. Amen.
Father God, my heart is filled with chaos and confusion. I feel as if I am drowning in my circumstances and my heart is filled with fear and confusion. I really need the strength and peace that only You can give. Right now, I choose to rest in You. In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland
Lord, when my heart is overwhelmed, overwhelm me with Your peace. Lead me to You, my rock. Guide me to Your Word which gives me strength and refuge. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to You first. Help me get into the habit of taking my “overwhelmed” and placing it under your will. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Jennifer Rothschild
Lord, when my heart is overwhelmed, overwhelm me with Your peace. Lead me to You, my rock. Guide me to Your Word which gives me strength and refuge. Help me not to run to lesser things. Draw me to run to You first. Help me get into the habit of taking my “overwhelmed” and placing it under your will. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Lysa Terkeurst
Dear Lord, I pray over my circumstances right now. I pray you will give me peace about what I can’t change and the wisdom to change the things I can. I’m asking you to reach into my life and do your will. Guide me and give me the discernment to hear your voice. Help me to overcome these adversities and have victory in you on the other side. I thank you for the plans you have for me and give you the praise and glory, even in this current storm. In your name, I pray. Amen. ~ Carrie Lowrance
Lord, how I long to break free from negative thinking and embrace peace and joy and optimism. I invite You to begin transforming my thought patterns and help me recognize, reject and replace thoughts that are not pleasing to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Traci Miles
Lord, I pray for those who are reading this article. Father, thank you for giving me the words to share from your Word. Thank you for making us people who need other people. I pray right now that you will embrace those who are hurting. Let them know for certain that you are the God of all comfort. And let them feel your presence like never before. So they can one day pass it on to others. I pray this in Your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name, amen. ~ Anne Peterson
Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace i give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Download a personal PDF copy of these beautiful prayers for peace HERE. Print these and keep them close to you whether at home, in the car, or at work to remind yourself to trade your worries and concerns for God's peace and comfort.
Rebecca Barlow Jordan is an inspirational author, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus who loves to encourage others heart to heart. She has written 11 books and over 1700 other articles, greeting cards, and other inspirational pieces. Her daily devotional Daily in Your Presence is available for delivery through Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.
image credit: ©GettyImages/AaronAmat; Video credits for audio, video, photos: Soundstripe, Storyblocks, LightStock, ThinkStock
This article is part of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
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Prayer for Peace
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Prayer for Healing
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