Service and Intention

"...being careful not to pray for ourselves...we may pray for ourselves if others will be helped.." This comes out of a book I use for daily living.
For 9 years now I have been practicing this principle to the best of my ability. A little while ago I was speaking with a trusted friend about this concept and explaining how things just weren't working out like I was planning them, how I was uneasy and restless, and how frustrated I was with god. I was frustrated because I felt like I was praying and being of service, generally being a good person and yet was not being "rewarded" for my efforts. That's when the light bulb when off. Oops. I guess I had been praying for myself under the guise of being of service all along.
Its amazing how the mind can sort things out so that I can still cater to my ego and selfishness and in doing so, keep Me completely blind to it.
I have changed how I do things lately, especially prayer and intention. Its far from perfect and I am sure I will figure out a way to bring things back to me. I guess that is why they call faith a practice... at any rate I am noticing a major difference.
All I have really done differently is attempt to put being of service first in all I do. I am trying to remember that I don't know what is the best thing for me necessarily and I have to have guidance from within to know. To me, that guidance is accessed by simply asking "where would I be of the most service" and for the strength (and discipline) to go where I am lead.
Its true the best things in life are the most simple and once I stopped over thinking and adding to this principle, keeping it in its most simple and literal form...miracles start to happen, simply as a side affect...