JOHN 14:13
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Here we are told what the real purpose of prayer is, namely, to glorify the name of God.
We are quick to make use of prayer for the purpose of praying ourselves away from suffering and difficulty and of gaining some advantage for ourselves and our dear ones. That is why we have so many disappointments in our prayer life. That is the reason for the many unfulfilled petitions of the past.
We have misused prayer. We have used it contrary to the purpose for which it was given to us. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures,” says Scripture.
But if we will make use of prayer for the purpose of asking, for ourselves and for others, for those things which will glorify the name of God, we shall see the strong and bold words of the Bible with reference to prayer fulfilled also in our feeble little prayer life.
“Yes,” you say, “that is just the trouble. Think of me: I have taken everything to God, great and small; in fact, I have prayed to Him about the most insignificant things in my daily life. That is to misuse prayer, is it not?”
No, my friend; on the contrary, you should pray God for even greater simplicity of heart in your daily fellowship with Him. It is written, as you know: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Nothing in your daily life is so unimportant and inconsequential that the Lord will not help you by hearing your prayers with reference to it.
But let us remember that the purpose of prayer is to glorify the name of God. Whether we pray for things large or small, let us always add: If it will glorify Thy name, then perform this miracle and help us. But if it will not glorify Thy name, then let us remain in our extremity. However, give us power to glorify Thee through it.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 
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