Most of us have learned the hard way that life can be unpredictable. Things can be going great one moment, and go horribly wrong the next. When the best-laid plans fall apart, logic may tell us to use our own resources and efforts to get ourselves out of trouble. However, when the flaws in our limited intellectual reasoning become evident and our “Plan B” fails, prayer remains the only dependable option.

The world turns to prayer as a last resort, if at all. This is unfortunate, because praying is our way of speaking directly to God about the trouble we’re in. Prayer is a powerful tool most people don’t understand; it turns around even the worst of situations. When we go to God in prayer, we’re allowing Him to get involved in something He already knows about and wants to help us with. “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10).

If we don’t understand the importance of prayer, it may be because we don’t understand the nature of God. We may have gotten the idea that disaster is God’s way of punishing us for something we’ve done wrong; this is just not true. If we think He’s intent on hurting us, we’ll be afraid of Him and won’t ever want to talk with Him. God actually loves us very much, and He wants us to come to Him so that He can comfort us. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7, NKJV).

It may seem surprising that prayer should be infused with thankfulness, but giving thanks makes our prayer lives more powerful. Trying to handle a mess by ourselves without God’s intervention brings on stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, but not peace of mind. We can be grateful that when God gets involved, the problem will be taken care of better than we could ever fix it ourselves. This knowledge puts our minds at ease and gives us hope that if we can’t find our way out of a bad situation, God will always be there when we ask Him for help. “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer” (Romans 12:12, NKJV).

There will be times when we don’t have any idea what to do about our situation. In times like these, talking things over with God when we need direction and guidance is a game-changer. He promises us that when we’re unsure of how to proceed, trusting in Him will give us insight into what to do, and how and when to do it. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6). Relying on Him guarantees success.

Struggling unsuccessfully with an issue can give us the impression that we’re trapped in it and overcoming it is impossible. A heart-to-heart conversation with God reveals the opposite. “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). Prayer puts us in direct contact with God and removes all limitations. It’s our secret weapon that helps us conquer trouble and come out stronger than before.