Well imagine that: five minutes of prayer can help your overall mental health. Looks like the studies out there are finally catching up with what believers have known for a long time.
Now that information is showing there is power in prayer, what can we do with that? I have a simple 5-minute prayer plan to help you get started.
According to Fox News, “Adult patients experienced significant relief from pain and anxiety after just five minutes of in-person prayer, as found in a randomized controlled trial. The study, led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, compared the effects of direct prayer to the effects of listening to music, revealing that prayer provided greater and more sustained relief for both symptoms.”
A 5-Minute Prayer Plan Makes All The Difference.
Let’s break this down.
The study shows a few things through the eyes of a believer.
First, coming together matters. The study focused on in-person prayer, reminding us that fellowship and praying with others can have a powerful impact on our lives.
Second, the content matters. Prayer is not simply sound entering our ears. Prayer is communication with God through Jesus Christ. It is a conversation built on faith rather than emotion.
In addition to all of that, the source matters. There is a difference between hearing something that makes us feel better and speaking to the One who can transform our hearts and direct our lives.
Chill. I’m Not Slamming Music. I’m Putting It In Its Proper Place.
Now before anyone misunderstands me, I’m not saying all music is bad. There is plenty of music that honors God and encourages the soul. However, when I am dealing with pain, anxiety, fear, or uncertainty, I need more than a temporary emotional lift.
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I don’t want to hear Jodeci. Yeah, I’m showing my age. Therefore, what I need is to communicate with God through Jesus Christ. I need the Holy Spirit to guide me, strengthen me, and direct me through whatever challenge is standing in front of me.
That is the difference between feeling and faith. If I want to feel good, I can enjoy a bowl of ice cream. If I need help carrying life’s burdens, I turn to the Lord.
Maybe you’re reading this and you do not have someone to pray with in person. Start where you are. With that being said, do this first: Contact us and let us pray with you.
Second, look into churches in your community where you can connect with other believers. Third, take a step of faith and visit a local church. You may discover a community that helps strengthen your walk with Christ and your prayer life.
Now let’s put five minutes into practice through Philippians 4:6 as our example.
The 5-Minute Prayer Plan Through Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Minute 1: Release Your Worries
Phrase: “Be careful for nothing”
Observation: God does not want anxiety running your life.
Prayer Focus: Give your concerns to Him.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I surrender every worry I brought into this day. Help me stop carrying what belongs in Your hands.”
Minute 2: Talk To God About Everything
Phrase: “In every thing by prayer”
Observation: Nothing is too small for God.
Prayer Focus: Speak honestly.
Prayer:
“Father, I bring every part of my life before You. Guide me through today’s decisions, conversations, and responsibilities.”
Minute 3: Ask Specifically
Phrase: “And supplication”
Observation: God invites specific requests.
Prayer Focus: Present your needs.
Prayer:
“Lord, You know exactly what I need today. Please provide wisdom, strength, healing, and direction where they are needed most.”
Minute 4: Remember God’s Goodness
Phrase: “With thanksgiving”
Observation: Looking back at God’s faithfulness strengthens faith today.
Prayer Focus: Thank Him.
Prayer:
“Thank You for Your mercy, Your provision, and Your patience with me. Thank You for walking beside me even when I do not see the whole path.”
Minute 5: Trust The Outcome
Phrase: “Let your requests be made known unto God”
Observation: Once we have prayed, we can trust Him with the results.
Prayer Focus: Surrender and confidence.
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I leave these requests with You. Help me trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your plan for my life. Amen.”
Five minutes may not seem like much, but according to the study, five minutes of prayer had a measurable impact on pain and anxiety. More importantly, those five minutes place us in communication with the One who knows us, loves us, and invites us to bring every concern before Him.
Maybe that’s the real lesson.
The power of prayer was never waiting for a study to validate it. God has been inviting us into His presence all along.
Why not spend the next five minutes with Him? Download A Prayer Journal To Help!
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Pastor Rick Penn is an ordained pastor, writer, and the founder of Get-Prayer.com, a resource built to help believers develop a consistent, grounded prayer life.
With more than 20 years of preaching the Gospel, Pastor Rick brings deep theological training and lived pastoral experience to everything he writes. He holds a Master of Divinity from Virginia University of Lynchburg, an M.A. with a concentration in New Testament Studies from Baptist Bible Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Averett University.
His writing reflects a personal commitment to making prayer accessible to everyday Christians. Whether he is writing a prayer for someone in a hospital waiting room, walking through fear about the future, or sitting down with a blank prayer journal for the first time, Pastor Rick writes from a place of both theological grounding and pastoral care.
Pastor Rick hosts In The Moment, a Christian television program airing on Roku through AIM Christian Television. Viewers can watch the show at aimchristian.com/yourmoment and listen as a podcast on Spotify.
Before founding Get-Prayer.com, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he built his communication skills as a writer, editor, and public affairs professional. He now applies those disciplines directly to ministry and teaching.
Every article on this site reflects his core conviction: Prayer is not a performance of faith. It is the daily practice that holds everything else together.
Pastor Rick Penn is the author of all content on Get-Prayer.com.
Rick currently resides in Pennsylvania, where he continues to teach, write, and encourage believers to deepen their walk with God through prayer and the study of Scripture.
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