The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.

Asking for something aloud, sincerely, works on the person doing the asking more than on anything outside them. You have to name what you actually want, admit the part you cannot handle, and then hear yourself say both. Whatever you believe about who is listening, you come away with a clearer account of your own situation than you went in with. The practice changes the one practising.

Try saying the thing you most want out loud, alone, in ordinary words. Notice what you flinch from asking for. That flinch usually marks what matters, and it is worth a second look this week.