From O. Hallesby, Prayer
Do not forget…that prayer is ordained for the purpose of glorifying the name of God. Therefore, whether you pray for big things or for little things, say to God, “If it will not glorify Thy name, then let me remain in my predicament. And give me power to glorify Thy name in the situation in which I find myself.”
Some may think that this will weaken the power and the intensity of our prayers. But this is due to a misunderstanding of prayer as a whole. To pray is to let Jesus come in to our need. And only by praying in this way will we succeed in opening our hearts to Jesus. This will give Him the opportunity to exercise His power on our behalf, not only as He wills but also when he wills.