Can I Be Honest

I just want to be real...about prayer. I believe in prayer. God hears our prayers. God answers prayer.
I participate in prayer a lot. I pray in a prayer group, in a Sunday School class, in a couple of ladies Bible study groups, with our church staff, our Wednesday night prayer meeting, part of an email prayer chain, and I pray in private by myself.
But, honestly, I don't have a great track record. I have prayed for many many miracles; healing for my family, and for friends, babies for couples, jobs for the unemployed, restored relationships, salvation for unbelievers, growth of the church, freedom for friends who struggle, greater attendance in Bible Study, impact in my neighborhood, return of prodigals ... but I have not seen many of those prayers answered as I hoped.
I am not saying that God has not answered my prayers,  He has. I am just saying that I have not seen a whole lot of answers.
 I read promises in the Bible and go to God with boldness to make my requests. I read books that share testimonies of God answering prayer in big ways, and I use the methods I see there.
Then, after some time, I begin to have questions. God doesn't seem to be coming through like I expected. I am really OK with that. I know that He loves me, that He knows what I need, and that He has a wonderful plan. But, I have to ask, "Why do I pray?"
This morning I came to a realization. Why do I pray? I pray because I need to talk to God. He is my Father, my Daddy. He is my best friend, and my big brother. He is my teacher, my guide, my leader, my counselor. He is my comforter, the restorer of my soul.
I must visit with Him.
My prayer times are not just times to go to God and make requests that I believe, or at least hope, he will fulfill. My prayer times are times to be in His presence, tell Him what I am doing, ask Him for guidance, listen to Him as He speaks to my spirit, and feel the comfort and strength from just being with Him.
So, I am just being honest and real. I will continue to pray. I will continue to go to God with boldness and confidence. I will take my cares to Him, and make my requests, with faith. Yes, with faith. I believe that God will do what I ask, and if He doesn't, it is because He knows so much more than I know.
And, besides all that, as Mark Batterson says, "God doesn't always answer our prayer, but He doesn't answer 100% of the prayers we don't pray."