Selfishness inhibits our prayers - https://www.pexels.com/el-gr/photo/4140308/
[Heb 4:12 NKJV] 12 For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul [soul = personality, thoughts, feelings, emotions] and spirit [Spirit = Jesus in us, as tuned in through renewing our mind with God’s Word], and of joints and marrow [source of movement and life-giving blood to our bodies], and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
[God knows both the good and selfish intents of our heart, the seat of our soul’s feelings and emotions].
[Jas 4:2-3 NKJV] 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend [it] on your pleasures.
[God blesses us with answered prayers so we can be a blessing to others, not just heap it up and store in our own barns].
[Luk 12:16-21 NKJV] 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 "And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' 18 "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, [and] be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 21 "So [is] he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
[God calls our selfish intents foolish. For my 8th birthday, I had asked and prayed for a new bike. I wanted it so I could go riding on the dare devil ramps and small hills at the edge of the subdivision with my friends. Our family of six was living on a pastor’s salary and could not afford a new bike. However, my older brother gave me his old bike, painted it dark blue and put a cool sparkly blue banana seat on it. For my birthday party, my friends and I went riding in the hills and it was my most memorable birthday growing up. My parents and my older brother new what I wanted and they found a way to get me a bike with considerable sacrifice. Later that year my bike would be stolen from the bike parking area at school. Once my bike was gone, I found I was more concerned for my family’s loss of what they sacrificed for, than my personal loss. God used this experience to teach me that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Often God may even answer our foolish “whatevers” that we ask for and use them to re-align our wants with His will.]
I remember that bike. Agreed that we can and should share our wants and desires with Him. But always add that His will is our deepest desire. I've lived outside of God's will before -- it is no bueno.