“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 KJV
God is never late in answering prayer; yet we don’t always pray as we ought. Indeed, joy fills the heart when we find what we’re looking for, but when no sign of what is expected can be seen, it is often assumed that God isn’t listening. Is it that God isn’t listening or could it be that we’re asking Him to give us the desires of our hearts while showing little interest in desiring to give Him what He wants from us? Don’t get me wrong; I’m not attempting to suggest that God only gives when He receives. God always answers prayer, even before we utter a word; yet He doesn’t always give us what we want, but always gives what is needed. Hence it could be possible that God has answered your prayers without you being aware of it.
It is for this reason that I believe Jesus didn’t just stop at “Ask, and it shall be given you…”, but went on to say ‘seek’ and ‘knock’. In other words, the lesson that Jesus taught here is that a relationship with God isn’t about asking for things; it’s about following His direction and enjoying His presence each step of the way. Do you feel like nothing seems to work out in your favor? Has hardship left you feeling like God isn’t there to hear your cries for help? Is your heart broken because you think your prayers have not been answered by God? Listen, God may not give you exactly what you’re looking for; however, He will always give you what you need to find true happiness. But how will you know what’s needed without asking and seeking and knocking first? Don’t just ask, but seek also, so that you may discover whether you are asking for the right things. And be sure to knock, too. Don’t try to kick the door down, but wait patiently for God to answer it.
Life may seem a little hazy right now, but if you’re willing to do what God wants you to do and go wherever He leads, then the door of understanding will be opened unto you in due time. Thus, you will discover that you never missed out on anything that’s needful to find true happiness in God, and you will know that His joy was with you each step of the way.
