First, prayer helps us to put our troubles in perspective. Apart from his prolonged struggle in prayer, it is doubtful he would ever have reached that point. Second, prayer gives us the strength of God for bearing our troubles. My power is made perfect in weakness. Prayer opened the channels for God's power to flow.
Trouble is the common experience of our lives.
It is an experience that we hold in common with everyone else. Like Paul, we can use trouble for good. All things can be worked toward good by those who know the love of God. Circumstances in life are the clay that is before us. It is up to us to make something good out of this clay.