Voice Your Needs
When David prayed, he voiced his complaints to God. But he also voiced his needs. We read "Protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers."
He then spends 7 or 8 verses explaining how bad the enemies are and how he needs God's help to overcome them.
I think it's profound that David voices his needs instead of just saying "Lord You know all things and You know what I need, please take care of it all." He takes the time to express what his needs are.
Name Your Needs Clearly
It's tempting for us to gloss over the specifics, when we're praying, because we are short on time. Instead, we should name our needs clearly. There is great blessing in doing so, in honestly laying out your needs before God!
When you have great needs, don't stop praying! Pray all the more, and tell God what it is you need! Talk it out with Him. Sometimes just talking it out with God in prayer can be so helpful.
Of course, sometimes it's hard for us to distinguish between what we need and what we want. Perhaps you are praying earnestly for something you think you need, but it's actually just something you want.
I'm also not suggesting that you go to God and make demands. Unfortunately, some Christians have been taught to demand from God what they want, in faith! But God is no divine butler. He is not your personal magician, making things appear for you because you've prayed for them.
Present Your Requests With Thanksgiving
But we are encouraged to pray about what we need. In fact one of my favourite verses in the New Testament comes from Paul's letter to the Philippians where he says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Yes, we are allowed, and even encouraged, to present our requests to God.
Friends, keep praying. Keep persevering in prayer. Keep presenting your needs to God. He is listening, and He will tend to you as you pray, in His own way, you can trust in this.
Even when prayers seem unanswered, our faith rests not in God's deliverance but in God Himself. Choose today to trust God's wisdom over your circumstances, knowing He can bring ministry from your deepest hurts.