If something in your life needs to be healed or restored, you should first humble yourself and then admit you’re not in control. You tell God you can’t do it on your own.

Then ask him for help. How do you do that? “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face . . . then I will hear from heaven” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).

You’re not waiting on God. He’s been waiting on you! Whatever you want restored in your life, you need to pray about it. Have you asked God for that kind of help? He is waiting for you to ask. And he knows even better than you do what you need.

A lot of people know they should pray for healing in their mind or their body or their relationships. But they don’t know how to pray.

“Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23-24 NIV).

That verse tells you how to pray for healing:

First, remember Jesus wants you to ask. God wants you to ask for anything in prayer because that’s how you’re going to learn to trust him.

Then, ask in Jesus’ name. In other words, ask on the basis of what Jesus did on the cross, where he paid for everything you will ever need. There is power in Jesus’ name because it carries the full weight of God’s grace and redemptive love. 

Finally, keep on praying until God tells you to stop. Don’t pray one time and then give up when you don’t get your answer right away. Keep praying, believing God’s timing is perfect. God is responsible for when and how he answers. You are responsible for asking.

Joy does not come from getting what you ask God for. Joy comes in asking, believing God will answer, and then thanking him, even if his answer looks different than you expected. Joy comes from trusting God to use your circumstances to make you more like him, knowing you will one day be fully restored with him in heaven.

Pray, remembering these three steps. Even in your pain, God will give you more joy in the journey of following him than you could ever imagine!