Three Ways Prayer is Powerful.

I remember as a young child kneeling down frequently with my grandmother in the living room while she lit candles and we prayed the rosary. We prayed for everyone in my family, for the relationships to be strong, and for everyone to have faith. We prayed to St. Anthony whenever I lost something, that I may find it and to Mary to watch over us and protect us. We prayed for strength when I was scared after watching a scary movie. We prayed for healing when my mom became sick. We prayed for a roof over our head and continued food on the table. We prayed for everything. I felt comforted by these prayers. I felt a sense of indescribable peace.

Not only is prayer powerful but it is universal. Most religions pray in one way or another. Scientists have sought out to measure the effectiveness of prayer and healing and studies have shown that there is a positive effect. As we are nearing Passover, and the Easter season, we are entering into one of the holiest of seasons. People around the globe will be praying. This made me ponder the significance of prayer in my life.

I’ve noticed that in the roller coaster of our lives there are high highs and low lows and everywhere in between. Prayers guide us through the peaks and valleys of life. And although there are many describable positive attributes to prayer, here are the top three ways prayer is so powerful.

1. Prayers connect us to each other. As stated earlier, life has proved to be filled with many challenges. Have you ever had someone say that they’re praying for you? Just the fact that someone else is taking the seconds to include you in your thoughts can be so uplifting and moving. And likewise taking the focus off of ourselves for a moment and sharing the gift of praying or acknowledging someone else reminds us of our unity with each other. For a moment we seem connected.
2. Prayers connect us to ourselves. Living in a fast paced lifestyle full of schedules and to-do lists, life soars by. We live in a world where we are either thinking about the past or the future. Few of us spend time in the present. Throw in some of life’s challenges and staying present in your body can become impossible; numbing on the other hand is preferred. Prayer in these times allows us to just be right here, right now. There’s nowhere else to go, no one to be. It allows the soul a sense of just being in the moment. This being allows us the opportunity to be fully present to ourselves.
3. Prayers give us hope. Ever had a loved one in critical condition, or been given some other terrible news? Prayer is the thing that gives us hope when we feel completely hopeless and defeated. It allows us to get back up again and believe that goodness is around the corner.

During this Easter season, I’m saying a prayer for all that read this. Hopefully in some small way it will be heard and received.

Peace and Joy,

Laura Cabral Fink
Life Coach and Licensed Clinical Social Worker