Finally, the third indispensable condition for the fruitfulness of prayer is a worthy subject of petition. "This is the form of prayer pleasing to God! - says St. John Chrysostom. "Approaching God with a sober mind, with a contrite soul and streams of tears, do not ask for anything worldly, seek the future, pray for spiritual things!"

This advice of the saint is very often forgotten. To our deep regret, very many Christians look upon prayer not as the greatest happiness of unity and conversation with God, but simply as a means of obtaining something necessary, and they resort to it only in calamities and difficult circumstances, they look upon God almost as a worker, they often ask for vain, worldly, and sometimes spiritually harmful things. Of course, in prayer we can express all our prayers, even petty ones that have no significance for our spiritual progress, for the Lord, as a loving Father, will listen to everything. But we cannot insist on the fulfillment of desires for the simple reason that we do not know what to pray for, how we should (Rom. VIII, 26), and often unwisely ask for that which can only serve to our harm. Even such prayers are sometimes performed by the Lord for our admonition, if they are offered persistently, but nothing good usually comes out of our perseverance.

The magazine "Historical Bulletin" contains the story of the mother of one of the Decembrists, Kondraty Ryleev, who suffered during the uprising of 1825. Here is given an interesting example of persistent prayer, fulfilled, but not leading to good results.

"Once in childhood," says Mrs. Ryleeva, "Kanechka (i.e., Kondraty) fell dangerously ill. I don't know what happened to him, but he was lying in the terrible heat, with his eyes closed, with his cheeks inflamed and flushed, and he was breathing heavily. There was little hope for recovery. The doctors did not promise anything good.

Who can describe my grief, the grief of a mother who is about to lose her beloved son? I cried and prayed. I spent long sleepless nights at my dear boy's bed, pouring glory on his bed and calling on God for help. The possible death of Kanechka seemed to me such a great misfortune, such an incredible cruelty, that I tirelessly, unceasingly, asked the Lord to work a miracle – to heal the baby. It seemed to me to be the greatest mercy that I needed more than life.

Once, during a fervent and persistent prayer, I dozed off, kneeling in front of the child's bed. My eyes closed, my head sank on the child's bed, and I had a strange dream.

Someone's voice was heard:

Crazy! Do you know what you are asking for? Do you know what awaits this child if he lives? Let him die now...

No, no way! "Anything, but let him live..." for me, for my mother... My happiness, my only joy! Can I refuse it?

"Then look!" The same voice said.

And a series of pictures began to unfold before my eyes. They were so alive, so real. I remember them all. Kanechka's whole life passed before me.

Here he is in bed. Recovering. A little tired, still weak, but cheerful, joyful, with smiling eyes. The suspicious feverish blush on her cheeks is gone. He stretches out his little hands to me and laughs...

Next is the picture of childhood. His games and pranks... A corner of the nursery, littered with toys. Kanechka riding a wooden horse, brandishing a tin saber... Fun romp and running with mom in the run...

Years of adolescence. Books, school classes... Curly head bent over textbooks. Smeared blots on notebooks... The first failures, the first disappointments in school life.