Accordingly, the power of prayer can have a profound healing effect upon the body. In a report released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), prayer is in three of the top five positions of complimentary and alternative therapies. This report also shows that seventy-five percent of the adults surveyed have used prayer specifically for health problems.

The 10 complementary and alternative medicine therapies most commonly used measured in terms of the percentage of adults who used complementary and alternative medicine.

But while scientific research from notable establishments—such as the Duke University’s Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health—are now proving the effectiveness of prayer, it is very important to recognize that physiological symptoms usually stem from physiological problems.

If God created the body, then it is obvious He also created natural laws to maintain the health of the body. And in many cases, those who are chronically sick have somehow violated God’s natural laws for the body—either knowingly or unknowingly. For example, eating “fast-food” every day of the week eventually produces many negative effects in the body, regardless of how much you have prayed. If the body does not have the vital nutrients it needs, the natural laws of health are broken.

The Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) When this verse is considered in the context of chronic health issues, it certainly rings true. While some problems are legitimately psychological and/or spiritual, oftentimes the body can detoxify and heal itself if it physically receives what it needs. And putting a focus on correcting physiological problems will frequently alleviate psychological problems as well.

But mending these problems will likely take time. So you should consider adding prayer and forgiveness to your arsenal as these are a few of the more important pieces of the puzzle.

Additional Reading

• The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel
• The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
• The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel
• More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell
• The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard
• Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard
• Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
• Waking the Dead by John Eldredge

Sources

http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/

http://nccam.nih.gov/