James 4

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Growing up I generally prayed for materialistic comforts such as toys, warmer clothes for winter and food that actually tasted good. I don't think it is a sin to want a pleasurable life but God wasn't my top priority in my mentality, thus I don't think God was really listening to me. However I believe my prayers are Christlike now because I request God to change my ambitions and behaviour so that they correspond according to his will, not my own. Because of this, I'm expecting there to be times of confusion or discomfort and understand them as necessary obstacles for growth.