Patient Faith
I’ve known for years that hospital patients who had faith often had greater peace in times of great struggle than those who did not. My patients who faced high-risk surgery, cancer patients close to death, and families waiting for news regarding the outcome of a code often gathered in prayer, holding each other together with a strength that grew stronger as they prayed. As patients shared their stories of near-death experiences, miracles, unexplained coincidences, and other events that to them could only be answered prayers, the impact of their faith on their health, both mentally and physically, was obvious. However, I wondered if medical research and the witnesses of healthcare professionals support the same conclusion I made, that belief in a higher power makes a difference in the healing process? I found that it does.
Impact of Faith
When I entered the search terms “impact of faith on healing,” I found an abundance of articles and books related to the subject and multiple references for each article, providing additional reference material. According to an abstract I found in the National Library of Medicine with a very boring title of, “Prayer and Healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials,” they found it very difficult to conduct a triple blind research project where individuals prayed in one corner of the world about patients in another part of the world and then be able to measure the outcomes with so many vulnerabilities littering the field and influencing the outcomes. Their results came out all over the place and were too inconsistent to be conclusive. In other words, it was too difficult for them to say with certainty that it was true, but they thought so; since it was a scientific research paper, they had to say they didn’t know.
Spiritual Meditation Impact
However, in their research, they found the following to be true related to meditation, one of their research measures. It reduced walking blood pressure, heart rate, heart/breathing coordination, changed the levels of the body’s secretion of melatonin and serotonin, reduced the secretion of stress hormones, increased the immune response of the body, decreased the need for oxygen, reduced stress, improved mood, reduced anxiety and pain, enhanced self-esteem, and had an overall favorable impact on the quality of the late-stages of patient’s lives. That research produced a lot of positive outcomes. Furthermore, spiritual meditation had better patient outcomes when used than meditation used by non-faith-based practitioners regarding reducing anxiety and improving mood, spiritual health, spiritual experiences, and tolerance to pain. Therefore, it seems to indicate religion scored a point on this one.
When it comes to scientific research, the requirements for declaring an outcome to be scientifically significant are very rigid, so even though they could not say it was a conclusive study, faith was suggestive as an influence.
All the rest of the articles I reviewed were definitely on the positive side, however.
Why Faith Heals
In Forbes online magazine, I found this article, 4 Reasons Why Faith May Actually Heal by Jesse Pines, and in another magazine, one by Dr. Farrah, MD. The Healing Power of Faith: How Spirituality Enhances Mental and Physical Health discusses the relationship between faith and its impact on mental and physical health. Below is a summary of their combined conclusions.
1 . Faith Practices—Specifically Prayer—May Reduce Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness
Religious communities share a common faith, which promotes opportunities for social gatherings and the development of a support network. During times of crisis, the developed network provides comfort, friendship, encouragement, and assistance with meeting daily needs while waiting for health recovery, resulting in decreased anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
Stanford University reported that faith provides a framework for coping, mental resilience, and emotional wellness. Furthermore, they describe the impact of prayer to be similar to cognitive behavioral therapy, which can serve to promote feelings of gratitude and positive thoughts, with a reduction in negative thought processes and potential elimination of symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In addition, most religions offer the hope of healing or relief from God. As a Christian, our faith hopes for healing through Jesus now and ultimately, complete restoration of health with no more suffering ever when we go to Heaven.
2. Many Religions Encourage Healthier Lifestyle Choices.
Many religions promote self-control and a healthy lifestyle. They encourage their members to make wise decisions regarding their personal lives by abstaining from intimate relationships until marriage, and the use of harmful substances and risky behaviors, and promote obedience to traffic, gun, and other laws. Members are encouraged to eat healthy, exercise, rest, and manage emotions for better interpersonal relationships.
Stanford University and Harvard Gazette agreed with the above, as well, adding that they attribute the positive behaviors to community support and moral teachings. Furthermore, Harvard studies showed that the biological impact of faith suggests spiritual practices can positively influence immune function, and people who experience faith as a supportive relationship, like a close friendship, have shown brain activity patterns like those observed during social bonding, resulting in lowered stress and inflammation.
3. Spirituality Can Improve Coping Skills and Emotional Well-Being
People of faith or spirituality generally have better coping mechanisms with greater self-worth. They experience greater inner peace and cope with life’s challenges more easily because they feel they are not alone. Through their confidence in their Lord or higher power, they replace fear and loneliness with hope for a future and confidence in being seen and supported by their God.
Through their participation with church members, they develop a sense of community and belonging with the development of social support systems. They feel more socially connected with reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation. As a result, individuals have lower rates of depression, higher life satisfaction, and decreased risk of suicide.
4. Faith and Religion Link to Stronger Immunity and Longevity
Positivity improves chronic fatigue symptoms, reduces inflammatory processes, reduces susceptibility to infections, and decreases the ability of stressors to access the person’s body systems.
Bible Teaches Relationship of Faith and Healing
For Christians, the relationship of faith and healing goes as far back as the Kings of the Old Testament. The first example occurred in the Old Testament in the account of Naaman, who was healed of leprosy (2Kings 5:1-14). He could receive healing provided he obeyed the prophet Elisha’s instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Healing is mentioned again in the Psalms (Psalm 103:2-3), “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases.”
In the New Testament, there are lots of accounts in the Gospels. Jesus provides multiple examples. In Mark 5:25-34, he heals a woman with a bleeding disorder who touches his garment. He says, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.” In Matthew 9:28-29, Jesus tells the blind man, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Jesus asked the blind man if he believed Jesus could heal him. Not until the blind man acknowledged his faith did he receive healing. Throughout the Bible, the role of faith in the process of healing is clear.
Whether through personal faith, communal prayer, or through apostolic ministry, faith serves as a method through which a person receives God’s healing power. As stated in “The Bible Hub”, the Bible affirms that faith, when placed in the divine Healer, opens the door to physical, emotional, and spiritual restoration.
