Praying really can help you in hard times

Prayer really can bring comfort during tough times, according to new study. 

Those who were boiling with anger said they found 'a readily available listening ear'.

"If they vented their anger to that abusive partner, the result was likely to be more violence. But they could be angry at God while praying without fear of reprisal," said Sharp.

"During prayer, victims came to see themselves as they believed God saw them. Since these perceptions were mostly positive, it helped raise their senses of self-worth that counteracted their abusers 'hurtful words,' said Sharp.

Prayer is also a handy distraction for some, the study found.

Sharp said, "I looked at the act of praying, of speaking to God, as the same as a legitimate social interaction. Instead of a concrete interaction you would have face-to-face with another person, prayer is with an imagined other."

However, the consequences of prayer aren't always positive.