Why Pray?
When faced with a traumatic or life-threatening situation, it is instinctive to cry out in prayer. We know that in the most difficult of times we need help that is beyond ourselves. The same is true when we have a chronic painful disease. Even if the disease itself is not life-threatening, the pain and anxiety that go along with it can threaten our quality of life and rob us of joy – if we let it. Prayer can help.
Increasingly, scientific research is documenting the benefits of prayer. Individual studies have shown that prayer improves sense of well-being and general health, reduces pain in cancer patients, improves emotional health and coping in people with rheumatoid arthritis, and boosts the immune systems of people with AIDS.
Prayer can benefit us in many ways. It has the power to reduce stress, which can worsen pain. By putting our worries in the hands of a higher power, we can relieve anxiety. By saying prayers of praise, we remember that someone greater than us is in control. By saying prayers of thanks, we are reminded of our blessings, and by praying for others we become less focused on our own pain and problems.
There are many ways to pray. Some people pray throughout the day, speaking to God as they go about their normal activities. Some find a quiet place to sit and meditate or kneel and bow their heads. Some speak about whatever is in their heart and on their mind, while others recite prayers or mantras. Some people prefer to pray alone, while others pray as a congregation or in small groups or with another person. Prayer can take any or all of these forms. The best way to pray is the way that works for you.
Increasingly, scientific research is documenting the benefits of prayer. Individual studies have shown that prayer improves sense of well-being and general health, reduces pain in cancer patients, improves emotional health and coping in people with rheumatoid arthritis, and boosts the immune systems of people with AIDS.
Prayer can benefit us in many ways. It has the power to reduce stress, which can worsen pain. By putting our worries in the hands of a higher power, we can relieve anxiety. By saying prayers of praise, we remember that someone greater than us is in control. By saying prayers of thanks, we are reminded of our blessings, and by praying for others we become less focused on our own pain and problems.
There are many ways to pray. Some people pray throughout the day, speaking to God as they go about their normal activities. Some find a quiet place to sit and meditate or kneel and bow their heads. Some speak about whatever is in their heart and on their mind, while others recite prayers or mantras. Some people prefer to pray alone, while others pray as a congregation or in small groups or with another person. Prayer can take any or all of these forms. The best way to pray is the way that works for you.