Genesis 24

"Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah - daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor - coming with a jug on her shoulder.
Genesis 24:15

Sometimes, God answers our prayers immediately, or even (like in this case) before we're done praying. I can think of a few distinct examples of this from my own life. However, it often seems like He doesn't hear our prayers at all. Why is there a difference?

I think that a lot of this has to do with the difference between asking for God's will and trying to insert one's own desires into prayer. We almost always end our prayers by saying, "In Your name," or something similar, but how often are our prayers truly spoken with His name in mind?

I've noticed a common trend in prayers, both in the bible and in my own life. When truly seeking God's guidance, answrs are usually immediate. When attempting to put our own will into God's plan, He turns his head away.