You Get What You Ask For

Recently I was in a reflection class. This had to do with a test we had just written that week. Basically we had to write down our our preparation method, study time, and our expected test mark before we got the test back, and comment on the fairness of the test. Afterwards we would have to write how we felt about this in retrospect.

Ironically, the expected mark I wrote down is the exact mark I got after all the adjustments were made.

This made me think. Do we get what we ask for?

Perhaps, sometimes.

James 4:2 tells us, “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Plainly, if you don’t ask, you won’t have.

John confirms:

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

So we need to ask, but what about the “how” component? How does this affect things?

1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:6

So according to these two verses, there is some criteria to how we should ask. Our requests need to be in accordance with God’s will. And when we ask, we must have faith in the One of whom we make our request.

So we need to ask, but for what?

A great place to start would be asking for wisdom. Ultimately this is even helpful in knowing what else to ask for. And God promises this in abundance.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5

Likewise, when asking for salvation of others, this promise is sure:

“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” Psalm 2:8

Basically, if the request is for something that is for our all-encompassing best good, God will not withhold it from us.

Matthew 7:11 “ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

Inspired writing tells us the following:

“Christ’s lessons in regard to prayer should be carefully considered...He shows what is the true spirit of prayer, He teaches the necessity of perseverance in presenting our requests to God, and assures us of His willingness to hear and answer prayer.” – {COL 142.2}

We need to ask. And ask again. And never give up, so long as we are asking within God’s will.

“Our prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give. The principle of Christ’s life must be the principle of our lives...We are to ask blessings from God that we may communicate to others. The capacity for receiving is preserved only by imparting. We cannot continue to receive heavenly treasure without communicating to those around us.” – {COL 142.3}

So once again that thought stays with me...

Have you asked? Enough?