[God] delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:10-11 (ESV)
Paul faced his share of danger during his missionary journeys. Whipped five time, beaten with rods three times, nearly stoned to death, imprisoned, shipwrecked - no one can accuse him of being a wimp. But he relied on two things to keep him going. First, he believed that God would deliver him. Second, he believed the prayers of others would help him. That someone who suffered so much hardship would still consider prayer to be helpful is instructive to us, for to our modern sensibilities Paul might appear to have been abandoned by God, rather than delivered by God. If Paul could trust in God’s deliverance and the assistance of prayer, can’t we?