Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found It Again Through Science

by Mike McHargue

People who move from primarily intercessory prayer to primarily contemplative prayer are less driven to find answers to suffering and more apt to redeem it. They stop looking for God on the other side of answered prayer and begin to find God right beside them—in this place, in the pain, in this moment. There’s good reason for this. Brain scans show that these prayers bring God near to us—indeed, as near as our own brain tissue.

Neuroscientists have found that people who pray regularly have thicker gray matter in their prefrontal cortex (that’s your brain’s CEO, responsible for focus and willpower) and their anterior cingulate cortex (the part of your brain responsible for compassion and empathy). The heightened activity in these key parts of the brain also reduces the responsiveness of the amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for fear and anger). You could almost say that consistent meditation makes you a better person—more focused, more compassionate, and less likely to be angry or frightened.

When you believe God loves you and loves others, it’s easier to take risks and to forgive people.