BECAUSE I ASKED

Unconditional help, Unconditional love

Matthew 7:7 from the Sermon on the Mount: "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. "

While I am not ancient, I am also not young...and yes, Elders can and do learn new things. I am 72, at this time in May 2025.

It is very easy to become "hidebound" and stay stuck and seemingly immovable. However, God in His mercy and yes, bluntness, does have a handy-dandy SLEDGEHAMMER known as Holy Spirit and also the Refiner's Fire. Both are plenty forceful ON YOUR BEHALF, when you actually ask for help and cry out to God. God, being the Creator, does know how to actually get things done! How shocking, yes? While His ways may not always resonate with “comfort” at the moment, they do get things done when you…ask.

One of the things Papa God repeats to me very often in my daily fellowship and relationship, is "ASK!" He tells me that over and over again. (Sorry, Papa, that I am sometimes resistant to doing just that...and that is another story.) Fortunately for me, God is not only merciful and patient but He also lets me repeat the tests! His love functions in this manner, as that is how we learn in the Christian faith.

I recently watched a political Podcast, in which the Podcaster was interviewing a political reporter. The reporter shared a powerful story he wrote on a current event. As the reporter was sharing his "scoop" story on this recent important breaking story, the Podcaster basically said "how in the world did you land that scoop?" The reporter said..." Because I asked."

Thunderbolts hit me..."Because I asked." Can things really be that simple? Yes. Even if the answer could have been "no", I still can benefit from this, to learn to be bold enough to ask! How accustomed I have been to living with "no", in steeply mistaken assumption of loss and defeat before even getting out the gate. This is a very bad habit and yes, hidebound…and note to self and others, I make things more difficult.

A wonderful church Discipleship class teacher and one of my mentors, used to say to us, "Ya gotta ask", when describing how to grow in relationship with God. This is relationship, not "religion." The simple act of asking places you as an actual participant in the walk of faith with God. Just as a tiny child is determined to stand up and make slow stumbles in the direction of learning to walk, it is the same concept of asking, in the daily process of walking with God. As blunt as I have been in much of my life, I also have been much lacking in taking honorable action, somehow not believing that anything I do will help. I feel certain that others who are like me, have the same struggle.

Why does Christ say, " Ask and it shall be given you?" Why are we so encouraged to ask and seek and knock?? As I simmer on this, it occurs to me that perhaps the asking process in itself creates the small action step forward and engages the boundless experiential manner in which we begin to learn. This is also faith in action. Yes, the vaunted W.E.W. “learn by doing" is on full display, and even curmudgeons may apply! I have always found that direct experience is the most visceral and powerful teacher in the raw, rowdy and rambunctious laboratory of direct messy life! Yes, I understand that others have certainly come to this conclusion before me and that is OK, as I am speaking directly of my own experience and realization here, my mind and spirit being gently nudged forward by dear Holy Spirit, my Great Teacher.

Curmudgeon mind ( my frequent default) says "you will always get a no answer, no matter how often you ask." This is incorrect, although convenient to the curmudgeon world view. I have to tell you, the curmudgeon world view is getting pretty...old, no pun intended. Stepping out in faith...not easy, but a requirement for breaking out of the pits. My earthly Dad was very negative and I unfortunately absorbed much of his attitude in my early youth, bounded by grief and sorrow. It is so easy to remain in shadow when the light is SO bright...fearful of the blazing light showing me for the fraud I think I am. This is not a great path to forge ahead with and these are the mental tricks the devil uses to entrap us.

This ASK stuff should be fundamental, like a thundering simplicity and information to add to "Life, 101, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level." Simultaneously. (Dang!)

Time roars on for all, nothing stops and looks both ways. As much as I hesitate, I defeat myself. Not being a natural in high confidence, this is not an easy process, breaking free. While there are elements of positive thinking, etc. in all of this, the mind alone cannot do this. God and His Son act as intermediaries, the conduits between the mental and the spiritual. They teach me how to use my mind in combination with the Spirit. Prayer is not mental, it is communion with God (ASKING) and His immense mercy over our struggles. He does not castigate or scold...He gives us open book tests. He guides us up and out of any morass, step by step. He wants us to grow and to conquer the darkness.

Yes, asking does not always bring the exact desire...but it does indeed, engage the force and mercy of God to work in my life. I lose all the asking that I do not ask...and this gradually brings the miracles I so deeply need. This is slowly bringing me up and out of the sorrow that has bound me for so long.

This is relationship, not religion.

Wendy Elizabeth Williams, Friday, May 23, 2025

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--Finally, please pray for me, that I clearly hear Holy Spirit's still, small voice of counsel and encouragement. Thank you, Wendy