DOES PRAYER REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING?

From Max Lucado's latest book MAX ON LIFE:

"Prayer reminds you WHO is in charge. You don't take your requests to somone with less authority.  You take them to someone who outranks you in the solutions department.  Prayer decreases you and increases God.

Prayer gives permission to God to complete the request according to His will.  Hopefully, you don't pray just to let God know what's going on.  He's way ahead of you on that one.  You are praying to transfer 'my will be done' to 'God's will be done'.  Since he is in charge, he knows the best solution.  Prayer exercises your willpower and gives God authority to work in your life.

Prayer relieves the stress of perceived inactivity.  Now that God has been given the task, you don't have to worry about it any longer.  God has his people on  it.  With less stress comes more strength.  Prayer transfers the burden to God and lightens your load.

People struggle with life when they don't have answers.  The darkest valleys are blackened by the shadows of question marks.  So what do you do?  Think harder?  Try harder?  Hold longer conversations with yourself?  Why not pray to the One with all the answers and let Him take over?

Prayer pushes us through life's slumps, propels us over the humps, and pulls us out of the dumps.  Prayer is the OOMPH we need to get the answers we seek."