Why Prayer Makes You Feel Better
When your back is against the wall, you can try many things to find comfort, such as crying on a friend’s shoulder, watching a funny movie, or even eating your favorite food. But all these things are temporary, and you might find great comfort in prayer. So, why does prayer make you feel better?
Prayer makes you feel better because it’s a way to unburden your heart to God, who listens to the cry of His children. It reminds you that God is in control and your friend and brings you peace. Sorrows are magnified when we feel alone, but praying reminds us that God is with us and that he cares.
In this article, I’ll discuss 3 reasons why prayer makes you feel better. Let’s dive right in!
1) You Remember God Is In Control
Have you ever felt like your problems were too big, too difficult, and too much for you to handle? When you don’t see a way out, it’s easy to fall into a seemingly bottomless pit of depression and despair. But when you pray, you’re reminded that God is in control of everything–and you’re in good hands.
You may be powerless to turn the tide, but God is not. When you pray, you’re opening your heart and telling your problems to someone who can actually make a difference.
In Mark chapter 4: 35-41, we see that while the disciples were in the same boat as Jesus, they were suddenly caught in the middle of a storm. The disciples feared for their lives; they were so afraid and panicked that they woke Jesus up. They questioned whether he even cared that they were going to drown.
Doesn’t this question feel like the same thing we tell God sometimes when the problem is too great and there seems to be no way out? Situations like this can make us want to reach out to God and ask Him why He doesn’t care that we’re going to drown.
However, shortly after waking, Jesus instructed the wind and waves to be calm and in a split second, everything changed. The storm was over.
Only God can do things like this, and by praying to Him, we remember that we really can’t add an hour to our life when we worry or wallow in despair. But we can present our request to Him, who can answer.
2) Prayer Brings Peace
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” Jesus says in John chapter 14, verse 27. Prayer is communion with God, who is himself peace and gives us peace, not as the world gives–fleeting, dependent on circumstance, brittle.
But when God gives peace, it remains even when the problem is still in front of us, even while we struggle with heartache, loss, or pain. This can help us remember that the struggles of this world are temporary, but God is eternal.
How else can a Christian be hard-pressed on every side but never destroyed but only by the grace of God and his peace that transcends all understanding? In those quiet moments of prayer, God shows us that He is present in our suffering, and we don’t walk through the valley of the shadow of death alone.
We walk alongside a God who never leaves and never forsakes. So, although we will still have problems, God can give us peace through these trying moments. We can rest assured that no matter how strongly the boat may rock, there is no way we will drown.
3) Prayer Reminds Us God Is Our Friend
Psalm 34, chapter 18 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted.” And one of the times during which this closeness manifests and is most keenly felt is during prayer, especially in a time of great need. When we pray to God, we are reminded that we have a friend with whom we can confide and who will gladly share our burdens.
He is not a God who is far away or who looks at us from a distance, crossing His arms and raising His eyebrows at our distress. Instead, the Bible says that He hears us when we pray, and He responds according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Remembering that God is a constant and loyal friend who will never leave us can help us to feel less alone when we feel that the world is hostile.
4) Prayer Makes You Feel Less Angry
A research study designed to measure anger found prayer made a group of, one group of participants less angry. It seems prayer could help people manage their emotions by making it easier for them to see events differently.
The study’s results imply that prayer is an effective means of taming anger. This could explain Jesus’ teaching to pray for our enemies – it allows us to form a bond with them that balances out angry feelings.
Related: Five ways to prayer for your enemy with a free prayer printable.
5) Prayer Provides Hope
Prayer helps give hope by providing strength when life is overwhelming, and the hits keep coming. The act of praying shows you have faith that something positive will happen, even if you don’t receive an instant response. We believe God is working on our behalf.
Through prayer, we can find hope in knowing that God loves us, and that He will always be with us through our trials. We can also gain strength to continue believing in our turnaround, no matter how long it takes.
Why Prayer is so relaxing?
Prayer is an invaluable tool for finding peace and hope during times of distress. Through prayer, we can pour out our hearts to a loving God who listens to our worries and cares for us. When we pray, we can expect to experience a sense of lightness and calm during our difficulties, knowing that God will provide solace beyond what words can express.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re dealing with personal issues or suffering through a global crisis, prayer is always there to provide comfort and strength. When you pray, you can expect to feel God’s peace and love wash over you, calming your mind and restoring your hope. And that’s why prayer makes you feel better. So take the time to pray—you won’t regret it!
Studies:
Join the Journey of 63 Hours in Hell
An Biblical Fiction about The Three Days Jesus spent in Hell, released by Abundance Books in March 4 2025.
