I sometimes fall into this mistake:
1. Omnipotence is a possible trait of a being.
2. If X being were omnipotent, they would specifically impact the world in ways I predetermine, i.e. eliminate disease, starvation etc., preserve their followers from harm, and so on.
3. Doing these things, the being would be worthy of my time and energy.
4. Such and such does not occur with X being, even if omnipotence was never attributed to them except by me.
5. Therefore X being is actually powerless and unworthy, or does not "really" exist.
Omnipotence is not a quality present in any being anywhere, as deduced in sutras and observable through common sense, seeing the state of the world and our lives.
So hoping for omnipotence is like hoping to finally find a horned rabbit, or a fountain of youth to prevent aging.
In "Pure Land Buddhism - Dialogues with Ancient Masters", it states, "If you recite Amitabha Buddha's name in earnest, without interruption, it is very easy to see him. Otherwise, it is very difficult." (pg. 135)
I have verified this in my own practice.
Especially vital is suspending assumptions I had about what would constitute "seeing" a buddha, and what would constitute a blessing or assistance.
For example, if an opportunity to violate the precepts suddenly falls apart, whether it was the compassionate activity of Amitabha or not is moot if I have already decided "Amitabha's activity would not bear on the mundane, it would be blatant and miraculous and I would know, 'Ah, there's Amitabha!'"
So since many monks and masters have stated bodhisattvas and buddhas can be perceived, given affinity and practice, the question becomes what is their influence on our lives?
To know this requires accepting the hypothesis that they
can have influence in the first place, may have already begun influencing our lives without our knowledge, and that such influence may not be what we expect.
I have found various examples in books, such as the ten benefits for a person who practices remembrance of Amitabha, countless devotional tales relating to Kannon, many Pure Land deathbed tales...
Some expectations of the majority religion where I grew up and have lived are proving difficult to shake.
Just thinking out loud I guess as I continue to wrangle this matter