10 October, Thursday — Ask, Seek, Knock

Thursday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time

Gal 3:1-5
Lk 11:5-13

“So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”

I struggle a lot with today’s verse: “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” I understand that Jesus is teaching us about constancy in our prayers, to persist with God until our prayers are answered. And of course, to have unwavering faith that He hears us and loves us and will answer our prayers.

But what gets me is, how do I know what I am praying for is what God wills for me? And if it isn’t, do I keep on praying for it until I find out? How do I change my prayer and my own heart to pray for what God wants for me? And therefore, in the end, I become scared to ask because I don’t want to be disappointed and because I don’t know if this is aligned with God’s will. This is what I truly struggle with. 

But then, I also realized that in not asking, I am also denying myself of blessings that God wants to give me, just that He is waiting for me to ask. I am denying myself of a relationship with God, like a child would with his mother. But therein lies the mystery I suppose. Because when I think about how a child asks for something, if his mother believes it is good for him, then she will give it to him. If it is not, she will tell him that it probably isn’t a good idea. Maybe there will be tantrums, but also, the child might learn to trust his mother that she knows what is best for him.

So, as I read today’s verse a little more, I noted verse 13: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” And I realised, firstly, God will give me generously but as our Father, He will give what is good for me. Secondly, God is not going to give me everything I ask for, He is going to give me something better — the Holy Spirit to guide my heart’s desire, to ensure that my prayers will not be desires of the flesh that will lead me to temptation. On my own, I would be like what is written in James 4:3 — “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” I would not know how to properly pray and ask for what I want, but with the Holy Spirit’s help, my heart will understand what it is that I need to ask from God. That is not to say that we should refrain from asking God for what we want, but over time, like a child who keeps asking, we will learn to ask for the right things.

I am still learning this; but each time when I pray and talk to God, I ask Him a little more and I discover a little more. It is difficult to comprehend what the underlying thing is that I should be praying for when I pray for something like financial help. It is hard to accept why certain prayers have not been answered, when I am desperate for a resolution. Always, always, I am asking God what is it that I should be looking to pray for. But now, I understand that I should be asking not just for what I need, but more importantly, for God to send the Holy Spirit to guide my requests, and for acceptance and a willingness to modify my prayers accordingly. And I know that I will eventually get there, either by the long or short way, and my prayers will be answered, in God’s time.

So, while persistence in prayer is necessary, it is also essential to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance in prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:15-15).

(Today’s OXYGEN by Annette Soo)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you know our heart’s desires and needs, even before we can express it, even when we can’t find the words to elucidate. We ask that we don’t run away with our desperation to have them met, lest we forget that our focus should be on You. We pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our prayers and petitions with the faith that You hear us and will answer us.

Thanksgiving: Lord, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides our hearts and minds in all that we think, say, and do. Thank you for Your abundant generosity and love as our Heavenly Father. We surrender ourselves to You in our prayers.