How Do I Pray When My Heart Is Broken?
Tell Jesus what hurts, even if all you can offer is a few words or tears. The prayer above is for someone facing rejection, betrayal, a breakup, or the loss of a hoped-for relationship. You can pray it slowly and stop whenever you need to.
The Psalms give words to distress and place the brokenhearted before his care (Psalm 34:18; Psalm 147:3).
Can God Heal a Broken Heart?
Yes. You can ask God to heal the wounds of your heart and renew your hope, while leaving the manner and timing of that healing to him. Faith does not require you to feel peaceful immediately.
Jesus himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35). His tears show that sorrow has a place in a life of love. Asking for healing does not require you to deny that something painful happened. You can ask for strength for today, freedom from bitterness, and the grace to receive love again.
Catholics have long brought sorrow to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the heart that was pierced for us and still loves without limit. The short prayer “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You” can be repeated whenever the pain returns. Our Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus offers a fuller way to pray with this devotion.
Can I Pray for Someone Who Hurt Me?
Yes. You can ask God for that person’s conversion and true good, even while acknowledging the wrong they have done. If you cannot yet find those words, begin by asking for the grace to pray. The Catechism teaches that we cannot simply make ourselves stop feeling an offense or forget it; we can offer our hearts to the Holy Spirit (CCC 2843).
Forgiveness does not require pretending that harm was harmless, and prayer does not oblige someone to remain in danger. This page offers a prayer for healing rather than instructions to restore a particular relationship. If your intention concerns a troubled marriage, the separate Prayer for Marriage Restoration addresses that need.
What Prayer Can I Say When I Feel Alone?
The Memorare is a traditional prayer you can say when loneliness makes it hard to pray. It asks Mary to intercede for us and bring our petitions before her Son. Its words about coming to her sorrowful can be prayed honestly, even when hope feels small.
Mary’s intercession is not a promise that another person will return or that a relationship will resume. Entrust the outcome to God. The Memorare prayer page gives the prayer on its own, and our Prayer for Peace offers words for anxious hours.
When Should I Pray for a Broken Heart?
Pray whenever the pain rises, and return to a simple daily intention when you can. There is no fixed number of repetitions that guarantees a result. You might:
- Name the loss honestly before God.
- Ask for one grace you need today: patience, courage, or hope.
- Pray the Memorare without demanding a particular outcome.
- Thank God for someone who has shown you kindness.
If your sorrow follows a death, our Prayer for Grief is written especially for bereavement. You may share your own intention with the Brothers through the free prayer-request form below.