By Anne Cooling

Does Prayer Make a Difference?

There are varying reactions within the public about the common phrase, “thoughts and prayers.” If this well-intentioned offering is spouted as a platitude without true dedication, the empty words fall hard on suffering hearts. On the other hand, as evidenced in the genuine outpouring for the Buffalo Bills’ injured player and the communal healing response for Monterey Park, such prayerful expressions are deeply heartwarming. According to the latest Gallup poll, 75% of people engage in prayer in their lives. Why? What is it that prayer offers us? And how do we make it meaningful and impactful?

As someone who engages in prayer quite often, I have witnessed how prayer solves problems and transforms characters, hearts, thoughts, and lives in very tangible ways. Prayer brings peace, healing, restoration, health, guidance, and freedom. And it can bring them not only to the person praying, but to those for whom we pray.

So, how do we move our prayers from spouting platitudes to experiencing the great love of our Creator? Many of us have petitioned God for help in prayer and that humble yearning is often needful. And yet, there is something truly transformative when the heart of my prayers go beyond petitions or mere positive thinking.

To learn more about prayer, I frequently turn to the Bible. The book of Psalms as well as the prayer that Jesus shared with his disciples which many refer to as the Lord’s Prayer are incredible examples that countless people have leaned on over the centuries.

Rather than a formula, I see these prayers as providing a structure for my own prayers. They help focus my thoughts so I can better hear God’s Word that offers guidance, inspiration, and answers for today’s needs.

Beginning by striving to recognize God’s all-power and everlasting grace in quiet prayer helps to silence the doubts and fears that would have me feel separate from God. As with the prophet Elijah (see I Kings 19), this recognition of the “still small voice” of omnipotence allows my whole heart to be in audience with God. In this sanctuary of Spirit, I am reassured that God’s goodness can actually be seen and felt in my life. As the Lord’s Prayer states, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This tells me that the love of God isn’t in some far off place; it is present. It is “on earth” so to speak. And so I find that my prayers address specifically the needs of today and tomorrow and in a practical way strengthen my trust that prayer is more than nice ideas I say to reassure myself. There is real spiritual power behind it.

In time of need while I was unwell overseas, I experienced the assurance and healing effect the Lord’s prayer offers. As I prayed, I sought to deepen my understanding of each line of this affirming prayer. Humbly and persistently engaging with the inspiration of this prayer, I was healed of intense symptoms of food poisoning and was able to meet my tour group on time that morning with complete freedom.

Prayer for oneself and the world are both vital and needed. We cannot help ourselves or the world if one is drifting with the current of thought that is only steeped in the problem and letting fear, anger, frustration, rule our hearts. Humbly praying each day allows us to experience the grace of God’s presence that is so needed. This prayer changes us and affects our interactions with the world around us. It ripples out to public thought of which we all contribute with every thought and prayer. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the church I belong to, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, wrote in her pamphlet, No and Yes, “True prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us.” (p. 39) Compassion and leaning on God will go a long way in helping us be what we already are in the eyes of God’s love and hear fresh ideas that inspire solutions and heal hearts.