Warning: None of the prayers in this article are intended to replace the need for professional medical monitoring, medical examinations, diagnoses or treatments. You should always consult your doctor and seek professional help.
When treatment for terminal illness doesn’t seem to bear fruits, it causes extreme despair and grief for both the patient and the family.
The news that your loved one is dying and there is nothing much you can do about it is beyond unbearable. Prayers for hospice patients and their families are important at such critical moments.
These prayers are one way to draw closer to God despite the hopeless situation. There may be times when you can’t find the words to say, but God knows your heart.
If you have trouble praying for hospice patients and their families, ask God to lead you through the seven prayers outlined below.
1) Short Prayer for Hospice Patient
“God, thank You for Your presence with us right now. I admit that though we don’t understand why situations happen the way they do, You are still in control.
I know that You walk with us even in the darkest moments of our lives. Please remind this dear hospice patient (name of the hospice patient) that You are with him/her and understand what he/she is going through.
I trust and pray this in Your name. Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
The above prayer includes key points that your hospice patient should hear. The first is that God is ever-present in their tough situation.
As a human, you acknowledge that you don’t have the solution to the patient’s problem. You join the patient in questioning the reason for their suffering.
You affirm to the hospice patient that God still cares and that they can trust in Him even when no one has the answers.
Let this prayer encourage the hospice patient that though their physical body wastes away, they will get a new body in Heaven where they will experience no pain nor death. And they will be with the Lord forever.
Also read these prayers for a friend who lost a loved one.
2) Prayer for Hospice Patients and Family
“Gracious Lord,
The Bible tells us that days on earth are numbered and that our lives are in Your hands. Hear my prayers for (name of the hospice patient) as he/she comes near the end of his/her earthly life.
We may not understand why his/her time has come to an end so soon, but we trust that You have all the answers and You are working out all things for our good.
Please comfort the hospice patient and the family with Your gracious promises of a beautiful life after death.
Through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
As the hospice patient nears the end of their life, you can ask for the Lord’s grace, love and mercy to ease their departure journey from this life.
Moreover, don’t forget to remember their family in prayers. They need encouragement more than ever.
Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy. We know we will all experience death one day, but the magnitude and reality of the situation aren’t easy to deal with.
Encourage the patient and the family that they can seek comfort in God, who can relieve their grief and pain.
Also read these prayers for a friend with cancer.
3) Prayer for Someone Dying in Hospice
“Lord our Father,
Have mercy on Your child in great suffering, who is drawing near the passageway of death. Send the angels and Your Son Jesus Christ to meet him/her on the way.
Though the medical team tried their best to bring (name of the hospice patient) back to health, the situation did not improve. But we are not hopeless because we know that he/she is going to a better place. And so our hearts are at peace.
I pray this in Your name, Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
The book of Job indicates a human’s days are limited, God knows the number of months we have and He cannot outdo the time He set for us.
“Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.” — Job 14:15.
This Bible verse is as scary as it is impactful. As humans, we can fear the end of our lives or focus too much on worldly goals, forgetting that we are passers-by on Earth. God has specific plans for each of us.
We all desire to live to an old age and die peacefully, but sadly this might not be the situation for everyone. It is such a bitter truth that some will depart the world earlier than others.
But the Lord’s Word reminds us that His plans are perfect and He means well for each of His dear children.
Also read these prayers before surgery for a friend.
4) Prayer for Someone Sick in the Hospice
“Gracious and Loving God,
It breaks my heart to see (name of the hospice patient) slowly dying in the hospice. Wash the body and soul of this sick person with Your gracious mercy and forgive all their sins.
Deliver him/her from physical ailing and sustain him/her against the accusations of conscience and attacks of the evil one. Let him/her fight a good fight and emerge victorious.
Grant (name of the hospice patient) a peaceful departure for everlasting life. Send the saints and angels to escort him/herto the gates of Heaven, where Christ will be waiting with open arms. Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
Prayer for someone sick in the hospice is a sensitive issue.
You meet patients with different battles, which calls for wisdom to handle them.
While some hospice patients are at peace with their fates, others hold bitterness and resentment towards God for putting them in such a situation.
It requires high patience and understanding when dealing with hospice patients.
A key piece of advice is not to impose anything on them.
Offer to listen to their struggles and pray along with them if they are okay with it. But if someone doesn’t want prayers, you can kindly say, “I will keep you in my prayers.”
5) Prayer for Someone in Hospice Care
“Dear Lord,
We cast all our cares and burdens upon You right now. We don’t understand why terminal illness came into the life of Your servant, but we trust that You walk with them every step of the way.
Lord, as (name of the hospice patient) prepares to close his/her eyes for the final time in this world, I pray that You give him/her peace and deliver him/her from suffering and torment.
We know that death is not the end of our lives, as Jesus died and rose again. We take hold of the great promise that death through Christ leads to eternal life.
In Your Holy name, I pray, Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
If you’re trying to be there for someone in hospice care, your physical and spiritual presence is crucial.
Seeing someone caring for them brings hospice patients peace during a dreadful season.
Many people also find that apart from prayer, reading the Bible with patients in hospice care can be helpful.
The book of Psalm is filled with verses that speak of suffering, lament, God’s mercy, peace and much more.
Psalm 4:1 & 8 can offer solace to your beloved hospice patient. It says:
“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
6) Prayer for a Family Member in the Hospice
“Merciful Lord,
With a heavy heart, I come to You presenting my ailing family member in hospice. We are heartbroken because our loved one is leaving us so soon. Fear overcomes us, O Lord, and we don’t know what to do.
You understand our pain and sorrow intimately. But mostly, You know what our family member is going through. Our time with (name of the hospice patient) is running out, and though we may not understand why, please help us to be at peace with Your decision.
Take the heart of your loved one and make Yourself known. Send him/her peace that surpasses all understanding. Don’t let him/her doubt but trust in Your everlasting love.
I now release our dear (family member’s name) into Your hands Lord. Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
Having someone in hospice affects the entire family. Though you have to be strong for them, you also need God’s strength because it’s not easy watching your loved one suffer.
As you pray for your family member in hospice, don’t neglect to pray for yourself and the rest of the family.
You all need encouragement and renewal of faith.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your religious leader for comfort and help with prayers. As you support your loved one in hospice, you also need a shoulder to cry on and someone to reassure you of God’s love and great purpose.
7) Hospice Workers Prayer
“Lord, caring for hospice patients can be overwhelming. It can take its toll emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I know hospice workers do their best to be happy but it is hard watching the patients live their last moments.
Please have Your way with hospice workers so that they have the strength to care for these hospice patients. Use them as instruments of mercy to bring hope and peace to each other and the patients.
Help them not to lean on their own knowledge and perception but rely on Your guidance. And renew their strength when it gets so difficult to push forward with the line of work.
I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Original StAgnes.net prayer. Copying prohibited, except with source.
Hospice workers have crucial roles to play in their patients. They are tasked with the sensitive job of caring for patients when all medical hope is lost.
They need God’s wisdom and intervention to deal with their victims.
Hospice staff can turn to God in prayer to help them provide care with compassion, love and understanding. Equally important, they need a renewal of strength to overcome depression and guilt.
They may feel responsible for the death of their patients despite giving the best care.
So as you pray for your loved one in hospice care, please include those responsible for their care because it is not an easy job.
Also read these goodbye short prayers for the dead.
Will Prayers Really Work?
Yes. If you pray according to God’s will, no doubt it will work.
Though prayers do not change God’s mind, they can help us align with His divine purpose for us. So you can be confident that prayer can change things, including our hearts.
Can I Pray More Than One Prayer?
Yes indeed. Jesus stressed the need to pray continually using the parable of the judge and the widow in Luke 18: 1-8. He used the parable as an example of how many prayers Christians can make, which is limitless.
Final Thoughts
Death and tragedy are unfathomable human experiences, and having a loved one in hospice can rob you of happiness and even faith in God. But don’t lose hope for the Word of God, and prayers can help renew your strength.
We hope that these prayers for hospice patients and family will give you comfort and peace and facilitate the coming to terms process when dealing with the impending loss of a loved one.
