There are numerous problems that can affect brake systems. For peace of mind, if nothing else, it wouldn't hurt for the OP to have this brakes checked out by a local bike shop. Changing brake pads may help, but in my experience new pads only provide incremental improvements over stock pads (assuming dry conditions). I just replaced my stock SRAM brake pads with KoolStop salmon-colored pads. I'm hoping they'll provide much better stopping power in wet conditions. In dry conditions, they seem to be better than stock, but not enough better to justify the upgrade.
Not sure about the OP's level of riding experience, but perhaps it's his braking technique that needs work? I know that when I returned to cycling as an adult, I spent most of my time using the rear brake. Of course this was because, as a kid, I have vivid memories of: flying into my driveway on my then new 10-speed bike, grabbing the wrong (=front) brake, flying over the handlebars, and having the bike somersault onto my crotch.
robertr70: remember that most (70-80%) of your braking power comes from the front brake. Give the handle a slow squeeze, not the big grab that sent me over the bars as a kid. Additionally, at this time of year I'll mention that it takes a lot longer to stop in wet conditions than in dry conditions. I've been doing some rain riding recently and notice that when I first pull the brake lever I get almost no stopping power! It takes what feels like an eternity for the brake pads to clear the water and muck from the rims before the bike starts to slow. I allow 2-3X more stopping distance in the wet than I would in the dry.