Prayer and Gratitude

I've recently been reading 2 Corinthians. This book always confuses me so I'm trying to read it slowly and thoroughly. There is a short passage at the beginning of the book that has been making me think a lot lately.

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. -2 Corinthians 1:11

In this section of the text Paul is asking for the Corinthian's prayers so they can give thanks to God when they receive blessings. I often have a narrow ungrateful view of prayer. When I'm sick I pray that God heals me but by the time I'm healed I usually think of it as sickness running its course, not God healing me. Rather than simply seeing miraculous prayers being answered as from God, Paul is looking to rejoice in God for any blessing he receives through prayer.

I think that all of us can grow in our gratefulness to God by taking note of prayers and rejoicing when God answers them even in small unastonishing ways.

Rick