Prayer should be coupled with actions which is something much different than expecting God to do for us what we are capable of doing on our own. Here's a relatable example: If you want to lose the gut, you may need to get off your butt, and change your eating habits.
Generally speaking, God expects us to do the possible-for-us-to-do parts, and do them without a miracle from heaven. One of the reasons for this is the Creator has designed us to labor. [2 Corinthians 8:11] Now finish the work, so that you may complete it just as eagerly as you began, according to your means. We cannot finish a work that we have not begun.