In your prayers do not ask for things, but for wisdom and courage.

This phrase brings us back to the fundamental value of Internal Fortitude.
We often treat prayer (or meditation/manifestation) like a cosmic vending machine: we put in a request and expect a specific reward (money, a lover, a promotion) to pop out. This is a childish approach to the divine. This quote invites us to mature. It reminds us that the goal of spiritual practice is not to change the world to fit our whims, but to change ourselves so we can handle whatever the world throws at us.
Here is why this shift in focus changes everything:
The Problem with Asking for "Things":
"Things" (outcomes) are often outside our control. If you pray for a specific result and don't get it, you feel abandoned or bitter.
Furthermore, we often don't know what is best for us. Winning the lottery ("a thing") often ruins lives. Asking for specific solutions limits the universe's ability to surprise you with something better.
The Power of Wisdom (The Map):
Instead of asking for a problem to disappear, ask for the Wisdom to solve it.
Wisdom allows you to see the difference between what matters and what doesn't. It gives you the strategy to navigate the storm rather than just begging for the rain to stop.
The Power of Courage (The Engine):
Wisdom is useless without action. You might know what to do, but be too afraid to do it.
Asking for Courage is asking for the strength to face your fears, to speak your truth, and to endure hardship. If you have courage, you don't need an "easy life" because you are strong enough to handle a hard one.
The golden rule: "Do not pray for a lighter load, pray for a stronger back."
If you have Wisdom and Courage, you become the architect of your own destiny. You stop needing "things" to be given to you because you become capable of acquiring them yourself.
As the clergyman Phillips Brooks famously wrote: "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."