Asking for Yiras Shomayim

The Kotzker Rebbe zy”a (Sefer Ohel Torah) explains this Gemara by saying that if someone asks Hashem to give him any earthly thing, He may give it and He may not. It is “in the hands of Shomayim” to decide if the request will be fulfilled. However, if one davens for yiras Shomayim, there is no doubt that it will be given to him.