There was no telling how this word was going to unfold over the course of time. But unfold it has – with deeper meaning, with greater revelation, and with much amazement.
Each week has presented the challenge of how to believe God for what was before us. And each week, He has shown up, assuring us to keep on believing Him.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, NIV)
I looked at the words before me, mulling them over and questioning their meaning. And here is what hit me – the verb tense. We read those words and it sounds like we should ask once and be done with it. Looking at this same verse, in another version shed some light ….
“Keep on asking, and you will receive. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will open.” (NLT)
The problem became clear to me – – We give up way too soon.
In giving up too soon, we get caught in a cycle of unbelief. Hear me out. We give up prematurely and miss out on seeing, or receiving, the answers to our prayers. Therefore, we conclude one of two things:
- God doesn’t hear my prayers or
- God doesn’t answer my prayers.
Both result in unbelief which asks, “Does God even answer prayer or still do things which will astound?” I remember Beth Moore putting it this way in her study, Believing God:
“We believe little because we see little, so we see little and continue to believe little.”
The last few weeks have placed my family in a position by which we “keep on asking”. Each week, we have needed to come before His throne with our needs. One might have called us needy people. Let me share, some weeks He answered our prayers. Some weeks, we thought He didn’t and came to find out, in not answering, He truly had done something better.
And so, we continue to keep on asking. And we continue to keep on seeking. And we continue to keep on knocking. And in so doing, He is breaking the cycle of unbelief.
May we become a people who believe more because we see more, and see more because we continue to believe more.
Today I am joining with … Testimony Tuesday and Unite and Titus 2 Tuesday and True Story and RaRa Linkup and Life Giving .
Good reminder! Yes, He always hears and answers our prayers. Even though the answer may be: Yes, No, or Not Yet.
And even when our faith in this is small, it is still enough.
You are so right. May He give us the grace & faith to accept the answer, whatever it may be.
That last sentence is going to keep me thinking for a while: believing because we see; seeing because we believe. May it be so.
May we both believe Him for more.
Oh it is so eeasy to give up too soon – even Jesus knowing his purpose to give his life – prayed and asked if the cup could be taken from him. Even Jesus asked! This is such an encouragement thank you 🙂
May we believe & not give up. May you & yours have a blessed Easter!
In my busyness, it is easy to stop asking and stop seeking. You’re right. The result of that is to think that God said something different … or didn’t speak at all. Thanks for this insight!
Asking. Seeking. Believing. I’m learning each one is to be a continuous action in our lives. May you & yours have a blessed Easter!
Wonderful thoughts on persisting in prayer. Something I need to remember and keep working at. 🙂 Very insightful…and what a great photo to seal that picture in our heads. Thanks for bringing this teaching and encouragement to #RaRaLinkup today!
May we continually ask, seek, & knock while believing He will respond. May you & yours have a blessed Easter!
I was reminded that Jesus prayed 3 times in the garden, then He realized this was God’s will. thanks for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story.
Once again, Hazel, you make a beautiful point! Thank you & may you & yours have a most blessed Easter!
Unbelief is a struggle. We cant fully walk with God if we don’t believe. I am grateful I cam over to read.
God Bless Joanne
May we believe Him more each day. May you & yours have a blessed Easter!