"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8 ESV
Here are some more verses that are frequently misused. According to my understanding, Jesus isn’t saying that God will always give us exactly what we want. He’s telling us to persist in prayer until we get an answer. Verse 7 could read, “ask and keep asking, seek and keep seeking, knock and keep knocking.”
I believe that God always answers the prayers of His children and that His answers are always good. But sometimes I miss it because God and I don’t always have the same definition of what’s good. I can get into my head that I need God to do exactly this thing in this way at this time. Sometimes He gives me what I ask for at that moment, but He frequently gives me something that’s not quite what I expected. I have to pay attention so that I don’t miss it.
Sometimes God says no. Often, the “no” answers are because I’m not asking with a right heart. I’m probably asking from selfish motives instead from a desire to live well for my Father (James 4:3, Psalm 66:18).
One way to avoid this is to follow David’s exhortation in Psalm 37:
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
- Psalm 37:4 ESV
I’ve found that there’s something about delighting in the Lord, taking time to ponder all that is wonderful about Him, that changes my heart. I begin to desire what He wants for me and pray for His will to be done in my life.
Sometimes when I’m praying, God tells me to wait. These times can be hard. But these are also the times when my faith is tested and, in that testing, grows stronger. These are the times when I can run ahead of God or choose to trust His word that He works things out for good. Sometimes, I fail the test, but if I can be patient, if I can persist in prayer until God answers in His perfect timing, I will grow in confidence in His goodness and find it easier to trust Him the next time.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. - Proverbs 3:5 ESV
Think About: Are you waiting on God for something? How can you practice persistence?
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