Have you ever been in a bad situation in which there didn’t seem to be any way out? Most of us have been there, and it can give us a sinking feeling in the pit of our stomach. Many people try to come up with their own solutions to a problem, but there always seems to be one angle they didn’t count on that thwarts their plans. No one has the wisdom to know what to do all the time, but going to God in prayer when everything seems hopeless turns things around.

We can mistakenly believe we know what’s right for us, only to end up with a total mess afterward. It’s a human tendency to think we’re capable of charting our own course in life, but things can go sour when we least expect it. “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jeremiah 10:23, NIV). It’s risky to operate by our own set of rules, thinking we’ll be just fine. We’re likely to take a wrong turn in life, or maybe several, if we depend only on ourselves for guidance and direction instead of on God.

The world doesn’t believe in prayer; neither does it understand the power of this form of direct communication with God. Prayer can seem silly to some people until they get in real trouble. When we reach the point of desperation and ask Him for help, He’s always willing to listen and respond to us. His answers to us reveal perfect wisdom and knowledge previously unknown to us. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Most people wait to pray until after they’ve tried everything else. Instead of making prayer a last resort, we would be wise to pray, first. Praying with the realization that God knows much more than we do saves us frustration, worry, and stress. God loves us and wants the best for us, and He tells us so in His Word. ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me’” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NLT).

God’s will is to lead us out of trouble, not to harm us. When we feel all alone in a pit and no one else can help us, we can call on Him no matter what the circumstances. Not only will He make himself known to us when we go to Him, He promises never to leave us. “…For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” (Hebrews 13:5, AMPC).

God wants us to have peace of mind through Him, and to know that everything will work out fine if we rely on Him. We find that peace when we focus on His ability and willingness to deliver us from evil, instead of focusing on the problem at hand. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Our prayers are a game-changer.