Prayer: Prayer Changes the Man

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. --John
14:13-14

In all our praying, however, it is important that we keep in mind that God
will not alter His eternal purposes at the word of a man. We do not pray in
order to persuade God to change His mind. Prayer is not an assault upon the
reluctance of God, nor an effort to secure a suspension of His will for us
or for those for whom we pray. Prayer is not intended to overcome God and
"move His arm." God will never be other than Himself, no matter how many
people pray, nor how long nor how earnestly.

God's love desires the best for all of us, and He desires to give us the
best at any cost. He will open rivers in desert places, still turbulent
waves, quiet the wind, bring water from the rock, send an angel to release
an apostle from prison, feed an orphanage, open a land long closed to the
gospel. All these things and a thousand others He has done and will do in
answer to prayer, but only because it had been His will to do it from the
beginning. No one persuades Him.

What the praying man does is to bring his will into line with the will of
God so God can do what He has all along been willing to do. Thus prayer
changes the man and enables God to change things in answer to man's prayer.
The Price of Neglect, pp. 51-52

"Eternal God, I realize that I am in no position to tell You how to run
Your universe--or even my tiny corner of it. Yet somehow You have given me
the awesome privilege of communing with You, bringing my requests, and
waiting upon You to bring my will in line with Yours. Then somehow You work
in answer to my prayer! Thank You. Amen."