Increase Resilience Through Prayer

Why Prayer Builds Resilience

Why do some people emerge from trauma stronger, while others collapse under its weight? Research points to something surprising yet deeply human: prayer and religious practice.

During my training in the Psychological First Aid model at Johns Hopkins University, I was struck by how often controlled studies reached the same conclusion. Again and again, researchers found that prayer and spiritual practice significantly reduced the severity of grief and stress reactions in people exposed to major traumatic events.

Faith in the Face of Trauma

One long-term study followed 754 participants for 30 years. The results were striking: those who attended religious services regularly showed fewer depressive symptoms, even after accounting for factors like trauma history, socioeconomic status, and recent negative life events (Zou et al., 2014).

Another study looked at 110 children, ages 7 to 13, who survived the devastating 2004 tsunami. Five years later, the children who believed that honouring God would help them cope with future adversity were less likely to experience severe PTSD symptoms (Dawson et al., 2014).

Spirituality Is Not Passivity

Many dismiss prayer as passive or even delusional. But research suggests the opposite. Spirituality — the sense that there is something greater than ourselves, something beyond sensory experience — acts as a powerful buffer against distress.

Studies consistently show that spiritual practice is positively correlated with higher levels of self-efficacy: the confidence that you can shape outcomes in your life. In other words, faith doesn’t weaken resilience — it strengthens it.

Practice Makes Resilience

For those who pray daily or attend services regularly, none of this comes as a surprise. Their lived experience has already validated the science. Over time, prayer and worship become more than habits; they become automatic, a source of grounding and strength when life is most turbulent.

This is resilience in action: the repetition of a practice that builds trust, meaning, and stability even in the face of suffering.

Fact, Faith, and the Common Thread

It’s important to be clear: the studies confirming the resilience-building power of prayer were conducted with people who believe in God. For them, prayer is not empty ritual; it is a living connection with the divine, infused with meaning and trust. That belief — the sense of being held by something greater — is what transforms prayer into a wellspring of strength.

For those who do not believe, repeating prayers may feel hollow. Yet the broader principle still applies: when humans anchor themselves in something larger than the self — whether in God, nature, community, or deeply held values — resilience grows. Believers often find that anchoring through prayer. Non-believers may find it through practices like meditation, gratitude, or acts of service. Different doorways, same destination: a greater capacity to endure and to heal.

From Research to Practice: Beginning with Prayer

Psychology shows us that anchoring ourselves in something greater builds resilience. Spirituality teaches us that prayer is one of the most powerful ways to do this. Knowing the science is only half the journey — the other half is practice. You don’t need elaborate rituals or perfect words to begin. What matters is openness: the willingness to pause, connect, and invite God into the moment.

To help you get started, here are a few simple, universal prayers — not tied to any single religion, but rooted in the shared human longing to honour God and draw strength from that connection.