It seems many become so very disappointed with the whole prayer thing. Let’s be honest. Many, many of our prayers are not answered. Maybe the problem is the way we approach God. I do not wish to argue we can never pray the desires of our heart. If we want something form God we should communicate to Him about this. But, just as in marriage, if desires become expectations we will be solely disappointed. Job seemed to get a tongue lashing from God. Maybe because Job seemed to suggest God doesn’t care if He doesn’t answers our prayers the way we think they should be. It was almost if God said to Job “you want to try running a world where freedom has been given.” One person’s prayer for rain is another person’s prayer for flooding. Healing may just lead to one’s continued independence from God after brief euphoria. People were more influenced about the really important stuff in life by Jesus’ suffering than the miracles He produced. The same may be true in our own lives with those we seek to influence about the really important things in life.
It might revolutionize our prayer life if we begin to see prayer as communication to God about what is on our heart. But “God, if my desire is what is not best all things considered (the big picture) I know you can sustain me, I know I can count on you to get me thru anything. Please, please help me to lean and rely on you every step of the way.” God always answers prayer but often not the way we would hope for. God will always answer the prayer of those that pray “God, you know my desires but God no matter what happens, I am going to need you to never leave me every step of the way.” God promises He will always answer such prayers.
What God May Really Be Like - Misbeliefs About God 