Praying Helps Patients Heal Better, Experts Say
Experts say prayer is a very helpful tool that helps patients achieve better health.
For Millicent Albert, a chaplain at Baylor Scott and White Dallas, the simple act of prayer possesses so much power it helps improve more than just a person's spiritual well-being, NBCDFW reported. In fact, he believes that patients whose health is suffering can benefit from it.
"Their medical well-being, their psychological well-being, their social being, of course, their spiritual well-being is improved because of the power of prayer," Albert said.
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Living proof
Although researchers have tried to use science to establish proof of prayer's healing power, some believe that prayer does help patients achieve improved health by giving them a better way to handle the stress that their condition brings.
"I've seen so many miracles come out of the neonatal intensive care that my faith has been increased, and I will never be the same," Albert said.
Dr. Harold Koenig, author of the book "The Healing Power of Faith" and the Director of Duke University's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, told CBN News that there is overwhelming amount of scientific evidence proving that people with religious beliefs heal faster and are generally healthier than those who have no faith at all.
"The benefits of devout religious practice, particularly involvement in a faith community and religious commitment, are that people cope better," he said.
Religious involvement
One such case evidencing the power of prayer is that of Kimberly Selby and her daughter, Davee.
Kimberly gave birth to Davee way earlier than expected. According to Medline Plus, the gestation period normally ranges from 38 to 42 weeks. Infants born before 37 are considered premature, while infants born after 42 weeks are considered post-mature. Davee was born after only 25 weeks gestation.
"You don't really expect for them to come so early," Kimberly said.
Davee, born four months ahead of the expected date, weighed less than two pounds at birth. Kimberly felt she could do nothing but pray for her daughter.
"There was absolutely nothing I could do to change her situation, expect love her and pray for her," Selby said.
And praying for her daughter did work. Despite her condition, Davee survived, thrived, and was eventually allowed to go home, with no health complications.
"We did eventually take her home," Selby said. "It didn't happen the way most people thought it would, but God has a plan for everybody."
