True devotees of God do not pray for wealth or material benefits. They do not even pray for the removal of suffering. What they pray for is the strength to bear their sufferings.
There is a fine song by Rabindranath Tagore:
Lord give me strength to bear Thy standard to whom Thou hast been pleased to give it. Give me the devotion to bear the greatest pain that is unavoidable in Thy service. Thou mayest fill my heart with great pain.
I do not want even to get rid of this gift of suffering that Thou art giving me with Thine own hands. This misery will be my crest-jewel, if with it Thou givest me also devotion to Thee. Give me work as much as Thou likest, if Thou dost not allow me to forget Thee, nor my heart to get itself lost in the entanglements of the world.
There is a fine song by Rabindranath Tagore:
Lord give me strength to bear Thy standard to whom Thou hast been pleased to give it. Give me the devotion to bear the greatest pain that is unavoidable in Thy service. Thou mayest fill my heart with great pain.
I do not want even to get rid of this gift of suffering that Thou art giving me with Thine own hands. This misery will be my crest-jewel, if with it Thou givest me also devotion to Thee. Give me work as much as Thou likest, if Thou dost not allow me to forget Thee, nor my heart to get itself lost in the entanglements of the world.
If Thou wishest, do Thou bind me as much as Thou likest but keep my heart open to Thee. Do thou not allow me to forget Thee on any account!
[The song being Tomar Pataka Jare Dao, by Rabindranath Tagor in Naivedya, 20]
And then there is the beautiful prayer of Kunti to Sri Krishna:
[विपदः सन्तु नः शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो । भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम्॥
Vipada santu nah shashvattatra tatra jagatguroh. Bhavato darshanam yatsyadpunarbhavadarshanam.
Bhagavatam 1.8.25]
O, Teacher of the whole world, let calamities come to us from all directions, for they enable us to have your vision which puts an end to the cycle of rebirths.
[The song being Tomar Pataka Jare Dao, by Rabindranath Tagor in Naivedya, 20]
And then there is the beautiful prayer of Kunti to Sri Krishna:
[विपदः सन्तु नः शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो । भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम्॥
Vipada santu nah shashvattatra tatra jagatguroh. Bhavato darshanam yatsyadpunarbhavadarshanam.
Bhagavatam 1.8.25]
O, Teacher of the whole world, let calamities come to us from all directions, for they enable us to have your vision which puts an end to the cycle of rebirths.
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