What Are You Praying For?

This is a thought that has been going through my mind for a while.  I have been thinking a lot about prayer and how God answers our prayers.  

My conundrum is whether or not it is right to ask God for a direct answer when we pray?

I have done this and I know lots of people have and continue to pray this way.  It is one of the easiest ways to pray.  But is it right to ask God for something directly, or to take it even farther, to present God with a "please show me either this way or that" scenario? 

For instance, I could pray every night for a sign telling me that I should either become a priest or get married someday.  Or I could, as I have done in the past, pray for an answer to whether I should stay in a relationship or not.

In both situations, as a typical human being, I go into my prayer with my own desires and wants, hoping beyond hope that God will give me the answer I want.  With that comes the mind game of turning anything that can be perceived as a sign into the answer I was seeking.  

But does God really answer our prayers like this?  I would say no, and not just because I have direct experience in this sort of prayer situation.

I believe God answers all our prayers, but we need be clear on what we are praying for.  If we are praying for something we want but making it seem like we are leaving it up to God, is that really a sincere prayer?

To eliminate this problem in my own prayer life I simple pray for God to lead me and that I will in turn be able to see and then have the courage to follow his direction.  Sure, I still have my own wants and desires, but I am not searching for any little thing that could be a sign from God for the answer that I am looking for and wanting.  Taking out my own wants from my prayer has freed me up a great deal and brought me closer to God.  There is no more "either this or that" when it comes to my conversations with God.  No more "give me the answer right now God" sort of prayers being said.  

Does it take a lot more patients? Oh, yes... yes.  But we have to remember its not about our will, our wants or our own desires; its about God's.

"not as I will, but as you will" Matthew 26: 39

If you have a right and true relationship with God you have to believe that the decisions you make will be good ones.  God is not going to lead you astray if he truly your friend.

Peace all