It started in the middle of a panic attack.
My phone buzzed with another notification I didn’t want to read. I was knee-deep in deadlines, doom scrolling between tasks, trying to juggle group chats and my own thoughts. It felt like my brain never had a moment to breathe. I’d tried all the “wellness” things like journaling, deep breathing, and stretching, but none of it felt like enough. So, I did something unexpected: I prayed.
Not the quick kind of prayer I grew up with before meals or big decisions. I sat down and closed my eyes. At first, I said nothing and just tried to listen. What surprised me most wasn’t the quiet or even the sense of calm. It was the unmistakable feeling that I didn’t feel alone.
Since then, prayer has been a daily part of my life. Sometimes I talk to God in the morning before the day begins; other times, I have a quiet conversation in the evening when I need to let go and find calm. As I kept showing up and expressing gratitude to God for even the smallest things, my anxiety began to lift. I wasn’t just coping, but I was healing. The constant racing thoughts and tightness in my chest began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of peace and trust. I truly believe it was through prayer that I found freedom from my anxiety. It became more than just a spiritual practice; it was like a reset button, reminding me that I don’t have to carry everything alone.
Then I began to meet others doing the same. Chris Roque, Campus Pastor with InterVarsity Trojan Christian Fellowship (IVTCF) at USC, leads a weekly Bible study that includes group prayer as a regular part of their gatherings. I remember Roque saying, “Prayer is not just the words but the space that exists when we draw near to God and He to us.” Prayer gave me something deeper than just coping — it gave me real hope.
Roque also put words to what I was beginning to feel: “Prayer is a difficult thing to define because it evades a simple explanation. At its most fundamental, prayer is communication. It is a way for us to express our hope and our hurt, our love and our lament, our thanksgiving and trepidation. We communicate these things to a God who hears us and who asks us to bring the entirety of ourselves to Him.”
In today’s anxious, hyper-connected world, spaces like IVTCF are rare. But right in the heart of USC, where the fellowship gathers, the University Religious Center serves as a vibrant hub for prayer, reflection, meditation, and even a student lounge focused on health and well-being.
According to a Springtide Research Institute 2024 study, about three in four young people reportedly grapple with anxiety. In this context, prayer has emerged as a meaningful practice for many. The study found that 74% of young individuals who pray daily report “flourishing” in their mental and emotional health, compared to 57% of those who never pray. This suggests that regular prayer may play a role in enhancing mental well-being among college students .
Chandler Hallow, a popular YouTuber and longtime collaborator on the MrBeast channel, recently appeared on The Bryce Crawford Podcast, where he opened up about feeling lonely and overwhelmed by depression. He shared, “I was in my kitchen, I was smoking, feeling lost, but I remember praying every night — and prayer works. Prayer is powerful.”
Many young Gen Z listeners resonated deeply with Chandler’s vulnerability. In the comments, several viewers shared their own experiences of turning to prayer during times of emotional struggle, saying his story gave them hope and reminded them they weren’t alone. Some even mentioned that after hearing Chandler speak so openly, they felt inspired to try praying for the first time in a long while.
Even in therapy circles, some professionals are beginning to merge mental health and faith-based practices. One faith-based counselor from Los Angeles Christian Counseling, Valeria Arias, told me, “People are spiritually starved. They want mindfulness, yes — but they’re also searching for meaning. That’s where prayer comes in.”
Research backs this up. According to the Barna Group, more than half of millennials say they pray weekly, and nearly two-thirds (64%) of Generation Z report having prayed to God within the past seven days. Psychology Today also notes that devotional prayer is linked to reduced anxiety and a stronger sense of spiritual connection. In addition, the same study from Psychology Today says praying with others has been associated with better overall mental health and a more positive self-image.
Prayer, in this context, becomes more than ritual. For this generation, it serves as a moment of slowness in a world of speed. For many, it is a return to God in a culture that constantly pulls us away from the deep inner peace that faith can bring. For me, it became healing.
That doesn’t mean a devotion to spirituality is easy. Some days, prayer feels like silence; other days, it can bring up hard questions. But more and more, I’m convinced that prayer isn’t about getting it right — it’s about showing up. It’s about being present, with God and with myself. In a world filled with noise, maybe this is what we’re truly longing for: not just peace, but communion. Not just quiet, but the kind of stillness that makes space for God to speak — and for us to listen.