All Who Ask Will Receive
Left or Right?
Matthew 7:7-8
“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. “
Jesus told his followers, and we see in many other places in the scriptures, that all who ask will receive an answer. All who seek will find, and all who knock shall have the way or the door opened to them. I have wondered, probably like all of us at some point, if this is just an unlimited or unqualified promise for us. Can I have anything I want just for the asking? The answer to that is obviously “no”. It is important to think about and ponder what the Lord is saying here. It is a wonderful blessing. He says ALL who ask will receive. The questions on my mind are what should I ask for and what do I want to receive?
This is not a genie-in-the-bottle situation. We can see easily with a little logic or very basic gospel wisdom that the Lord is not just a genie granting wishes. What happens if I ask for wealth untold? Or for a great car and huge house to make my co-workers jealous? Will I receive it? Does the promise from Jesus cover me seeking to make myself look more rich and powerful than my neighbors? What if I ask for the death of my enemy? What if I ask for all the rules and commandments of the Gospel to be removed? Will any of that happen? We all know the answer is no. So what should we ask for?
Let’s start with the assumption that we have faith in the Lord and we want to do the will of God. Yes, we are human and weak, and we would like life to be easy and have many comforts around us. Deep down inside, those with even small faith, know that in the end following the Lord is where joy is. We also read that “ … men [and women] are that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:24-25). Joy comes from the Lord, while not always easy, it is there for us.
May I suggest a few questions to start with. I have spent many years teaching service and sales associates the importance of asking questions and different types of questions that they can ask and should be skilled at. While there is more than one way to ask any question, I think the list below is a great place to start when we are talking about asking the Lord. I also know he will open door and provide answers for these questions. We need to be patient and listen, but these questions are a great starting place to “reason together” with the Lord. (Isaiah 1:18).
What am I not seeing in those around me who I can help?
What is the best way for me to help [insert name here]?
How can I better feel God’s love?
What would you have me understand from my scripture reading today?
What is most right in my life right now? Help my understand what I should keep doing and what I should build upon?
How can I do to better at feeling your love and know who I truly am?
What is most wrong in my life right now? Where should I work first to improve my life? What would you have me focus on to become closer to you or a better person?
What am I not seeing in myself that would most help me improve my life?
These questions are a little like diagnostic inquiries. They are not perfect and should not be just used over and over so they become overly repetitious. Ask more questions after these as you find answers or feel inspired to burrow down to the roots of what you are truly looking for. These are examples and a way to start a conversation of “asking” or “knocking”. That conversation may take many days or more likely many years, but this is a good way to start finding the will of God.
The door will be opened for you, and you will find all you could ever imagine. I have hope that this is true and my faith has grown as I have asked the Lord my own questions.
