Don't Miss the Gift(er)

"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14 NKJV).

Scripture tells us to ask for whatever we want (in Jesus' name), and we will receive it.

Anything we want?

I have questions.

If this is 100% true, with no exceptions, then why do people get discouraged and give up when they don't see their prayers answered? Some even decide God must not care--or exist, for that matter.

A few thoughts come to mind. But let's consider two options.

First, God always answers us. How He answers is not always how we want Him to. 

I was reminded of a story I'd been told long ago. There was a girl who saw a pair of ice skates in a store window and asked for them. Her mother, widowed and raising three children alone, couldn't afford them. There was a suitcase, though, that would be more practical.

Christmas came, and everyone received their gifts. The girl was less than thrilled to see she'd been gifted the suitcase with all its practicality. Half-heartedly, she said, "Thank you." 

Her mother pressed her. "Aren't you going to look inside?"

The girl was not enthused. Disappointment thickened the blood in her veins, as stubbornness increased in her heart. But she moved to unclick the latches of the suitcase lid and opened it.

Inside were the stark white ice skates she'd asked for, the blades gleaming up at her as if mocking her surprise.

The answer to her request came packaged differently than she'd expected, and she assumed the answer remained a "No."

The Lord may answer us in ways that don't appear to be what we're asking for. Give thanks with a grateful heart. We will never know how that gift will bless us in the end.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:17 ESV).

He may say "No."

Why would He say "No" when He promised to give us whatever we ask for in Jesus' name?

Perhaps it's for our protection. Maybe there's something better on the horizon that He wants to give us, but in our lack of foresight, we cannot see it. Could it be that He's working out something deep within our soul to line our desires up with His own?

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15 ESV).

My thought is that as we abide in Christ, our desires become one with His. Like any relationship we value, we wouldn't ask for anything that would grieve Him. The Psalmist says, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act" (Psalm 37:4-5 ESV).

I believe He loves to bestow good things on His children. But who wants to be the parent, spouse, or favorite relative/friend because of our ability to give? I doubt any of us would feel truly loved if we knew others were coming around with their hands out, rather than a genuine desire to know us. And as image-bearers, I am certain He is more than willing to pour out blessings on any who are following Him for who He is rather than what He can do.

He has shown this in His response to the young King Solomon: 

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." 

And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward You ... And now, O LORD my God, You have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give Your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern Your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this Your great people?"

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days" (I Kings 3:5-13 ESV).

He could have asked for anything. And yet, he asked for wisdom, which James tells us God gives generously to any who ask. Because God was pleased with Solomon's heart in the matter, He also gave him riches and honor. He continues to tell Solomon, "And if you will walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."

So there was a caveat to the rest of the promise--IF ... THEN--which indicates to me that some promises are conditional upon our obedience to His ways. With this in mind, it's not a good idea to presume upon His yes all the time.

Maybe I'm wrong. God doesn't owe me anything.

BUT, I owe Him everything.

I have heard the Scripture referenced often: "You don't have because you don't ask."

Does Scripture really say that? Well, yes. And more.

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you spend it on your pleasures.  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? (James 4:1-5 NKJV)

So, when asking the Lord for answers to prayer, also ask Him to reveal to us our hearts. Our motives. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139: 23-24 ESV).

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14 ESV).

He is gracious and merciful in all His ways. We can trust Him to provide good, and not evil, all our days.

Until next time, follow Him with all your being.

💜 Karlene J 💜

Let it Go!

The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8 

Such a promise.

But do we really believe it?

Do we believe it for those we love?

When in nursing school, I worked in the learning center/library. Often, when not needed to assist another student, I would sit in the librarian's office and chat. One day, I told her of a house for rent across the street from the school campus. "This way, if my car breaks down, I can still walk to class," I told her. She listened patiently.

Then, as I paused long enough to give her a word, she said something that rings in my ears whenever I begin to spiral today: "I see you like to borrow trouble for yourself."

Perplexed, I asked what she meant, and she explained that my idea of planning ahead for every contingency was, in effect, fretting about events that may never happen. 

I confess, I didn't take her words as a gentle warning; I was convinced that I needed to plan ahead. Consider every possible outcome and prepare. Predictability was obviously not meant to be part of our family's story.

By the time I started my first nursing job, I was having panic attacks I'd never dreamed possible in my life. Emotionally, I was in such a downward spiral that I considered sending my RN license back to the state, telling them they'd made a mistake in allowing me to take the boards.

Like the poem Footprints in the Sand, I can look back and see the path. In fact, every quarter would end, and I would hear the words in my heart, "You still don't trust me, do you?"

Footprints in the Sand: Courtesy Google Images

He had proved time and again that He would be with me through every day, every test, every triumph, and every failure. And yet, I panicked when I feared what might lie ahead.

I am certain I wore people out. I couldn't see beyond what I could control.

This is not about getting sympathy.

It's about taking control back through total surrender.

Opportunities to trust--entrust--our lives and the lives of those we love have presented themselves. (It's a life adventure for us all.) Every morning, I would pray, "Lord, I will trust you with ___. You do all things well." And through the day, I would experience peace as I waited on Him to do what He does best. On Friday, however, although I prayed the same way, believing every word to be true in my heart, I found myself growing more frustrated as the clock ticked away the day. Nothing went according to plan. And at the end of the day, I was angry.

I had no control over any of it.

Saturday, after sitting in the soiled mess of my frustration, I spent time listening to the soul cry of one of my loves. It was so beautiful and sincere. And then I heard Him in the depths of my soul, "You said you'd trust Me with this."

That I did. What I had forgotten to do was to surrender my right to control the situation. And here's the truth: I am incapable of changing my mind, my desires, or my attitudes without His intervention.

Behavior modification is temporary. Transformation by the work of the Holy Spirit is eternal. (John 15:5)

Surrender is our only option. Chasing the illusion of control breeds anxiety.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do NOT lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be NOT wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I searched Google to find the official definition of the word entrust. I came across many dictionary sites, each saying some version of the same thing:

1. Assignment of responsibility: to give someone the duty of caring for something important or valuable.
2. Transfer of authority: To give someone the responsibility or authority to handle an action or task on your behalf.
3. Conferral of confidence: To place trust in someone's character or ability.
4.  Legal context: To legally assign funds or property to someone for management.
5. Delegation: To delegate responsibility or authority to a person considered reliable.
6. Faith placement: To assign a task or duty based on one's belief in the ability of another.
7. Symbolic gesture: To signal a bond or agreement based on mutual trust.

Dictionary.com 

In Scripture, we are often told that we can entrust ourselves to God's care:

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.
2. Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
3. 1 Peter 5:7 ... casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
4. Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.
5. Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear/' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
6. Philippians 4:6-7 ... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
7. Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
8. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
9. Isaiah 41:10 ... fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

He is more than able to care for our needs. He is faithful and trustworthy. 

Until next time, find your rest in total surrender. 

💜 Karlene J 💜