A little thought on prayer

In church today, we sang the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". A few of the lines in particular I really liked and have been thinking about this afternoon.

"What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer! "

and then also:

"Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer."

"Carry everything to God in prayer." "Take it to the Lord in prayer." Prayer. I think we often underestimate the power that prayer has. When we are down, when we are depressed, when we are at our worst and we feel like no one in the entire world can help us or understand what we're feeling.... we should take it to God. Lay our troubles, our burdens, our worries, our sins, our grief, everything at His feet and simply say "Help me." We cannot face the trials in this life alone because we will not succeed. But with God's help -- if we seek Him out, if we give him everything that we have, and if we pray to Him.... then, and only then, will we survive the battle. With Him as our captain, and us following Him as soldiers, we will have victory.