The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Luke 18:6-7
How does God answer our prayers? His way! We can expect that our prayers will be answered, but we also have to realize our place in the scheme of things. There are many ways we can pray to God, yet each prayer ideally should be practiced with the four types of prayer which are: Adoration, Contrition, Petition, and Thanksgiving.
If you ask a little one what they expect for a Christmas gift, most likely they will answer right away. Our prayer life is not always about asking for "Christmas gifts". If we frame our prayers to include these types of prayer, then I think we will see how our one or two really important "have to have now" intentions will be accompanied with a grateful heart, and a realization that God has a plan for us. Let's not gift wrap God and box Him in to our present day "needs", rather let's trust that He will lead us and grant us the blessings we need, when we need them most.
