What Do You Pray For?

There are many different faiths and religions to choose from. Some folks think that's evidence of a lot of people believing the wrong faith, and some think all religion is irrational and foolish. But having met a number of people who believe differently from me, and having tested and reconsidered my beliefs many times over the years, I think there is much more to the matter than the first reaction most people have. As I am a Christian, it should not surprise anyone that I believe in Jesus Christ and the Gospel. But I accept a wide range of dogma as legitimate, even when it's a bit different from my own. And I can even accept religions that seem alien to me as valid in their own right. Six billion people on the planet, there's a lot of possibility that any one of us can't comprehend, but could still be true.

What bothers me, though, is the hate. And I think some of that comes from false belief, the idea that shows up so many places where someone only holds faith because they think they can use it for their advantage; God to them is not King but Butler. Chewing on that point some more, I realize that when we commune with God, we do so through prayer, and that beings me to the question which reveals our heart - what do you pray for? I'm not saying it's wrong to pray for something you need, or something that is very important to you, but how often do you pray to be a better person, to help someone else, or to be more aware of someone else's need?