Shri Nathji once said: When God listens to your prayers He comes down to your level. When He does not listen to your prayers, He takes you up to His own level.
Shri Nathji elaborated further on prayer: “There are four occasions when God does not listen to your prayers:
When the prayer is not genuine and lacks sincerity.
When you are praying for something that is wrong.
When He wishes to give you something better than you asked for.
When He wishes to give you at his appointed time.
Shri Nathji also said: “If God were to listen to the prayers of all the people in the world the entire earth would perish! This is so, because every person in the world has some enemy.”
Shri Nathji also said that for those who had surrendered before the Will of God prayer had become superfluous. They saw the Divine Will in whatever came their way, and did not ask for anything from God.
Kis tarah darde nihaan ko roobroo tere kahoon
Yaad aatee hai mujhko jab ke hamaadaani teri
How can I relate my sorrow before Thee, face to face
When I recall that Thou art All-Knowing!
The genuine saints and sages in the world were those who did not ask anything from God except God.
Shri Nathji explained this in the Persian verse:
Khilaafe tareekat bavad auliyaa
Ke tammanaaye az Khudaa juz Khudaa
It is against the nature of saints
To desire anything from God except God
Shri Nathji also explained this in a beautiful Urdu verse which was the voice of a devotee:
Tujh se maangoon tujhee ko to sabhee kuchh mil jaaye
Sau savaalon se fakat ek savaal achhaa hai
If I ask of Thee for Thyself, I gain everything,
One question is better than a hundred unasked.