I have a non-Catholic friend who says it's a sin not to pray for things for yourself. I always thought it was selfish. I mean, no matter how sucky I think my life is, someone else has it worse, some one else has a burden that is greater. At those times, it seems that they are much more in need than I, because I'm more blessed than I realize or am sometimes thankful for.
I think that's a good attitude. Some people never learn that material things are not what is most important in this life.
I will never ask Our Lord in prayer for *things*. I will ask for strength or wisdom or for His Healing Hands to carry me past a crisis or problem. I believe the best prayers are prayers of thanksgiving for all Our Heavenly Father continuely gives to us on a daily basis.
The problem with this approach to prayer is evident when tough times arrive. The individual then suspects they have done something seriously wrong to 'deserve' this punishment and redoubles their prayers. When those prayers are 'not answered', they suspect they have incurred God's wrath and try to figure out how to make amends.
One of Marcus Grodi's guests on The Journey Home, described this misguided understanding of prayer and the torment she personally suffered as a result of it.