I've been browsing through a few old favorite links again, and this one bears posting:
MZB on Why Prayer Is Not Answered It's an excellent reminder for anyone who follows a path of self-exploration and questing. Asking yourself "If this thing I say I want were to appear at my doorstep Right Now, but to have it I would have to give up everything else (and yes, folks, this means things like your family, too), would I take the opportunity? If not, what does this say about what I *really* want the most in life?" But I don't phrase things nearly as well as MZB does. Go read the link. :-)