Ask, and It Will Be Given

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

¹² “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:7-12

In another place, James 1, it says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” How many of us ask and then doubt?

Jesus is making quite the strong case for the goodness of God that comes to those who trust Him.

Ask – it will be given

Seek – you will find

Knock – it will be opened to you

Don’t you know that your Father in heaven gives good gifts?

Working in ministry, I have met many a doubtful answer. It is a rare quality for someone to walk by faith and not by sight. Yet, our God is so kind and gracious to watch us in our tottering faith and still give us grace and good gifts as we try to do what is written here. Earlier this week, one of the ladies I am working with is being overwhelmed by God’s love, goodness, and gifts. She said, “I’ve been waiting for so long that now that it’s finally here it’s like its all happening at once. It’s unbelieveable.”

She had been asking. She had been seeking. She had been knocking. And yes at times she had doubted and her life seemed to toss her around like the waves of the sea, but she kept turning and returning to the Lord. Finally the door has opened.

I find it interesting that this , “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” is right after this exhortation to ask, seek, knock. When we are actively walking in faith and believing God for what He’s has promised it’s easy to be kind and gentle. But when doubt comes – the upheavel in our souls is intense and we tend to turn on those around us. Whether we get upset at others who are doubting or we are doubting and can’t bear to hear any more, “God’s got this! You are going to make it” encouragement -be careful in those moments. It is better to be silent and still in those moments, praying for your faith to grow then to react in a way that may bring more of the same. It says, do as you would like done, not do whatever and it won’t bounce back.

It always bounces back.

What have you been believing God for?
Has doubt come? Is it time to turn and return to God in faith?

Father, thank you that You are a good and generous God. Help me to remember that when I doubt! Forgive me for the ways I don’t trust or believe that Your goodness is for me, that You are working it out, and that it is going to be ok. Help me to forgive those who I feel like they have trespassed against my experience. I dont want to do to others unkindness or disrespect. I want joy, love, peace, hope, and goodness. Help me to do that, to be that, to give that. In Jesus name. Amen

All is grace,

Starla