I'm interested in hearing from every person who believes in a God. Atheists will not be a part of this discussion.
I have had a long term discussion with people of faith on this subject but I never thought to bring it up before the people here. I always maintained that one should not ask God for things or help for yourself. I believe that you should pray for others, but not for yourself. Asking for forgiveness, sure, but don't ask for things like a promotion at work, or help with your finances, help losing weight, or even to save your marriage. Pray for others, for their marriages, their kids, maybe even their finances but not for your own.
Seems selfish to me.
I believe I should seek God's help for my marriage, career, and health. Here's why. I want my family to be happy, so I pray that I will be a strong, joyful mother/wife. The qualities I pray for are to help my family. This is different from praying, "Let my husband love me better, make me happier; let my children behave."
I am a substitute teacher. Arguably, this is the hardest type of teacher to be. I wanted to be better, more effective, so that students would receive more when I am there. I began to pray. One year went by, another, and still another. I was dogged in my prayers because scripture tells us we should not give up. I could not understand why I wasn't becoming a more effective teacher. Then, at four-and-a-half years, everything clicked and fell into place.
Looking back over those years, I could see then what I was too close to see at the time. I had been given opportunities, and I had taken advantage of them, struggling through them. I did not see them as an answer to my prayers as they didn't seem to relate at all. I was too close to see the significance between my prayer and my assignments. But, when it all came together...wow. I'm now (most days) the type of substitute teacher I want students to have.
Again note: I did not pray for better students, or for students to behave better. I prayed that I might have the strength and insights to teach and manage a class. I wanted something for them, and being able to give to them has brought real blessings to me as well.
I was inspired by the Prayer of Jabez (scripture). He prayed that God might expand his territory--and God did. Unlike Jabez, my territory is not land and property. My "territory" is qualities that make for a better teacher, a better wife, a better mother. I pray for God to expand this territory, and when given the "talents" (as in the parable of the Ten Talents) pray to invest them wisely.
Isaiah 6:8 is a favorite passage of mine. God asks, "Whom shall I send?" and the response is, "Send me." Without God working within, sending a person would be utterly worthless. If we want God to send us, then we have to be open to Him working within us--and that requires openness to prayer.
