I knew all the answers The way my life should go And when I used to say my prayers I would tell God so It seemed he wasn't listening I thought he didn't care But lookin' back It's plain to see He was always there 'Cause I prayed for strength And I got pain that made me strong I prayed for courage And got fear to overcome When I prayed for faith My empty heart brought me to my knees I don't always get what I want I get what I need I'm not sayin' that it's easy Or that it doesn't hurt Nothing seems to go my way Nothing seems to work These days I'm getting better At goin' with the flow Accepting that sometimes the answer To a prayer is no 'Cause I prayed for strength And I got pain that made me strong I prayed for courage And I got fear to overcome When I prayed for faith My empty heart brought me to my knees I don't always get what I want I get what I need Every time I've had a door slammed in my face In time a better one was opened in its place I prayed for strength And I got pain that made me strong I prayed for courage And got fear to overcome When I prayed for faith My empty heart brought me to my knees I don't always get what I want I get what I need Oh I don't always get what I want I get what I need