God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer – Mother Teresa
Mental health is extremely important. If you do not feel well mentally, everything around you would feel dull and gray. As a believer, the chances are that you have heard of the power of prayer. However, it is only when you pray that you realize its full potential.
According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was found that about 55 percent of US adults prayed for the spread of the coronavirus to come to an end. The outbreak has left many people hopeless and in distress.
Prayer holds the possibility of mental healing. Hence, it is worth trying. It is common for people to turn to prayer in times of adversity. This Post takes a close at why you need to pray for mental healing. Let’s get started.
What Is Prayer?
Khalil Gibran said that prayer is the “song of the heart,” and indeed, it is true. Traditionally, prayer means to address God or a deity to offer supplication and ask for something in return.
Whether you are a Muslim who offers Salah (prayer) five times a day, or you are a Christian who attends mass every Sunday and whether you are a Buddhist who rings the bell of their temple each morning or a Jew who prays in the Synagogue 3 times a day, prayer is the voice of your heart, yearning to reach its Creator.
Every religion, whether old or new, encourages prayer because it serves a lot of purposes. Most believe that prayer is only a way to show gratitude to the Creator; however, that is not true. It is crucial that you follow the prayer timings to ensure that you do not miss out on any obligatory prayer.
For some people, a prayer is like meditation or therapy. Through prayer, they vent their frustrations and problems and find solace. Most people use prayer to leave the things that are out of their control to God, and in doing so, they find peace to do the things they can control.
In my opinion, a prayer can mean different things to different people. For me, it may be a source of strength, and for you, it may be an outlet for negative energy. Whatever the meaning it may hold for you, prayer definitely offers comfort.
Benefits of Prayers for Mental Healing
Life is unpredictable. You might feel like you are on top of the world to only know that you are at the bottom the very next minute. Through prayer, you can focus on mental healing. Here are some of its main benefits.
1. Prevents Excessive Worry
Worrying has become a pastime for many. Whenever you are alone, you might find yourself worrying excessively about what the future holds. Thus, you would create scenarios in your mind that are not even real.
To ensure that you do not worry as often, you need to turn to prayer. When fear knocks on the door, faith should answer. It will keep matters in check. By praying, you tell yourself that you have an Almighty Lord who is watching over you.
Tell all of your worries to God and let him take care of them. It is His promise. Besides, God has promised in the Holy Quran that “So, surely, with hardship comes ease” (94:5). Just pondering over the verse should keep stress at bay.
Similarly, God has also mentioned in the Holy Bible that “So do not fear, for I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you.” and the Torah that “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
These verses are a source of comfort for the bereaved as they assure them that they are not alone; their Creator is with them.
2. Increases Mindfulness
Another reason why you should pray for mental healing is that it increases mindfulness. Prayer has a lot in common with meditation. As you pray, you get to work through thoughts and focus on clear clearing your mind. You get to establish a relationship with the Almighty rather than embark on a solitary journey.
We live in a time where we are bombarded with marketing ads and social media posts along with the new Netflix series. We end up not seeing things clearly and are fed ideas that we do not even have.
Stating your desires, troubles, and situation while in prayer allows you to truly think about everything in a different light. Sometimes, it will make you find an answer. Other times, it will make you realize just how small your problem actually is.
Mindfulness is extremely important. It provides you with the ability to be truly present and see things for what they actually are.
3. Equips You to Deal with Challenges
Prayer also equips you with the ability to deal with all types of challenges that come your way. When you acknowledge your relationship with God and continue to build it, you gain a superpower. It enables you to take on challenges head-on.
Instead of feeling afraid, you will feel invincible. Hence, your mental healing will begin, and you will no longer stumble. Nothing will keep you down. You would find solutions that you could not have even thought of before.
Having the loving support of God is all you need. A study that compared spiritual and secular forms of mediation showed that spiritual meditation makes one more positive and less anxious. By accepting the loving nature of God, you would become stronger.
4. Teaches You to Tolerate Pain
Pain and suffering are a part of life. It is something that we learn growing up. To truly heal mentally, you must be able to tolerate pain better. This is only possible through prayer.
When you pray regularly, you will be less likely to get mad or feel aggression even after a provocation. It would prepare you to be happier and more satisfied with your life. You would no longer hold on to the pain. Hence, you would tolerate it better.
5. Instills Forgiveness
Finally, praying for mental healing instills forgiveness. It is the final stage. Once you have healed mentally, you would find it easier to forgive others even if they have wronged you.
Forgiveness is very important as it allows you to move on and lead a happier life. The Quran, Bible, and Torah teach us to forgive one another.
Besides, forgiveness is a virtue. When you forgive others, you get to free yourself. It can be liberating to not have to hold on to grudges and being able to look past the differences.
Pray for Mental Healing
Mental healing comes from within. Through prayer, you get to look within and unleash the power of God. By allowing Him to assist you every step of the way, you will have an easier time moving on with your life.
Letting go is the only way, and prayer can help make things easier for you. It will guide you to the straight path so that you can enjoy God’s blessings.