Jer 32:17 Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
The prophet Jeremiah begins his prayer with great praise. He acknowledges the greatness of God, who alone has power to do the impossible, and praises Him on that account. His praise to God encouraged and strengthened his faith in Him to fulfill what He purposed. His prayer further aims to stop the mouths of the Jews who objected to the possibilities of God coming through for them.
Praise is a booster of faith in prayers; it battles doubt and fear. When God is sized up in praise, first before the impossible situation is faced, faith drives the mouth to confess “…Nothing is too hard (difficult) for You”. Note how God battled for king Jehoshaphat and his people: “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”, 2Chr 20:22
To start prayers with a “give me list” is to miss the means by which God fights for His people. Praises looks good on Him, and praises boost our faith. Think of God, whose understanding is unsearchable, and His power is irresistible. With Him nothing is impossible, observe His handiwork of heaven and earth. Faith therefore does not deny reality, it sees possibilities by the aid of praise in prayer.