Prayer is a very complex issue that is difficult to discuss on a forum like this. Do a study on prayer and you'll find there are many, many reasons and purposes to pray and what we should pray for. However, I would submit that we pray not because we want something, but that we want to know what is the Father's will for us.
Not because we want something...but that we want to know...? That's rather brilliantr, HD, to not want and want all in one breath.
Yous selectively cut and distorted the rest of my sentence which said that "we pray because we want something even if it is simply to be heard or acknowledged".
Who says you are entitled or able to know what the Father's will is for us? As a Reformed Christian you believe that whatever you do is the Father's will 24/7/365 (as we have no free will of our own), so how can you talk about you "wanting" to know what His will is for you? Robots don't want, HD.
Christ gave us one Prayer and He said "this is how we should pray." That prayer blesses God's name, establishes complete submission to God's will, petitions God to give us bread, to forgive us when we have forgiven others, and not to lead us into temptation [which is an interesting and provocaive verse if you think about it!], but to rescue us from the Evil One [which is also an interesting cocnept vis-a-vis Protestant concept of 'salvation"].
And for the Faith to accept and understand that it is GOD'S will, not our will, which is to be done. That's really the hardest part, isn't it, HD!
For me, as Kosta well knows because he knows me, it seems that the more successful we become, in the world's terms, the more educated we are, the more our pride keeps us from saying, like Greeks peasants do, "Ο Θεος ειναι!" Its up to God! I've never been even remotely good at that. I know better; I can control things; things will work out the way I want them to!
My whole life has been one continuing example of how I can't control much of anything which is really important beyond my own actions. Not that that stops me from trying to control others and situations around me, let me assure you! The example is there for me to see and yet I still look for MY will to be done. To an extent, as a lawyer, I can control clients and the course of litigation and perhaps that's where the problem lies because those particular skills don't translate so well in non-legal situations. The same applies with educators, doctors, all sorts of professionals, I suppose.
Anyway, I keep telling myself, more than simply at communion time on Sundays, that I am the chief among sinners, +John Chrysostomos' claim to the contrary notwithstanding. I keep hoping that maybe that will break down some of that pride I have so that when I do pray "Thy will be done", I can really mean it.
To tell you the truth, the past few years on FR communicating with virtually all the Christians here has taught me at least a little humility, though nowhere near enough.