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 in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.
Prayer is a crucial part of our spiritual growth.
If you're tired of going nowhere spiritually or relationally, if your marriage is difficult, or your children are going through tough times and you're not sure how to cope, ask God to stretch your marriage, your parenting, your spiritual understanding, even your courage to walk with him in a new way. Strength of character is won only by those who respond to life's challenges by asking God to stretch them. But that's where faith comes in. We need to believe God loves us and wants to lead our life down a better, more God-focused path than we could ever lead ourselves. If we really understand the power that's released when we pray, we'd be on our knees half the day.