"Ask God The Right Questions"

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8, NIV)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5, NIV)

I will never forget that night.

It was around 3:00 a.m., and for some reason, my daughter, who was three at the time, was restless. Every twenty minutes or so, she’d peek her head into our bedroom just to say she couldn’t sleep. I remember staring up at the ceiling and wondering to myself, what’s going on tonight?

And just as I finished my thought, I heard God say, It’s Me. I want to talk.

I hopped out of bed, raced downstairs, grabbed my anointing oil, and began praying. For God’s voice to be that clear, this had to be serious.

A few moments later, that quiet voice came again: Ask Me for what you want.

I spent the next few minutes pretty much telling God how angry I was that I hadn’t figured out my life’s purpose yet. I couldn’t understand how I could have these gifts, talents, and big dreams, yet none of them seemed to be working to bring me the success I’d hoped for.

I was spending hours every day trying to prove to God, myself, and others how badly I wanted it, but it seemed like no matter what I did, I wasn’t getting any results.

Then it hit me.

I was so blinded by chasing success with my own plans that I hadn’t even considered whether I was in alignment with God’s plans for me—or what success looked like in His eyes.

As I was about to go on a tangent about everything I felt was going wrong, I stopped and asked, What do You want from me?

When God answered, it was simple yet powerful: I just want your voice.

In that moment, I finally understood that asking God the right questions is sometimes the bridge between where you are and where you want to be.

God isn’t being secretive about what He desires from you, nor is He hiding from you. Sometimes there is simply a lack of communication on our part.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 that when we ask, we receive; when we seek, we find; and when we knock, the door is opened. Whether you’re trying to discover your gifts, praying for wisdom, or wondering what your next step should be, who better to ask than the One who created you?

Your dreams and your destiny are not a do-it-yourself project.

Yes, you’ll be the one taking action, but you don’t have to create the entire plan from scratch. God already did that when He created you.

Open your mouth.

Ask the hard—but necessary—questions.

Then trust that He will faithfully reveal each next step in His perfect timing.

Reflection

Spend a few quiet moments with God today. Instead of telling Him all of your plans, ask Him what He wants for your life—and take time to listen.

Prayer

Father, thank You for inviting me to seek You. Give me the courage to ask honest questions, the patience to wait for Your answers, and the faith to trust Your direction. In Jesus’ name, amen.