Ask, Seek, Knock

The place I feel closest to Jesus, the moments when God is most real in my life, always seem to happen when I’m on an adventure with Him. And once you’ve learned that, you can’t ever go back to life as you know it— Holly Gerth

 Wow! Have I found this saying to be true. Lately, God has been revealing and teaching me so much about my passions, callings, and adventures He wants me to go on with Him. The revelations are so exciting, but honestly a little scary at times because I wonder if I’m capable of some of these adventures. I want the timing of God’s callings to unfold in His perfect will. I see the bigger picture of these adventures, but the details to bring my calling to life, well I’m a little unsure of how to pursue. Recently, God has challenged me to ask Him specifically what the answer is to all of these questions.

I know, duh, right?

But what I’m meaning isn’t “surface praying,” like God, please help these details come together, which I’m guilty of praying like this. The praying I’m referring to is “purpose praying,” talking to God like this— God, should I ask so and so to be a part of the journey you and I are about to embark on together? Are they a piece to my puzzle? Or God, this is what I want to accomplish with what You’re calling me to do. How do I make this happen? I’ve even prayed, Lord, the people you’ve put in my life to plant seeds and who have told me how they envision You using me,  please show me how this can become my own unique vision.

Because the truth of the matter is, if I want to go on the adventures God has for me, I have to ask God how. And scripture backs this up. Matthew 7:7-8 says, Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened:

Ask: Ask God what calling and purpose He has for me. Plead with Him to show me the people, puzzle pieces, and details of my adventure with Him. Once he shows me…

Seek: Search and seek for those people, puzzle pieces, and details who will make my adventure with God possible. Once I find them…

Knock: Be bold and courageous; I’ll step out in faith by knocking on the “doors,” of people, puzzle pieces, and details so they may be opened to me.

And guess what? There’s even scripture to back up this scripture. Jeremiah 29:13 says And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all of your heart and 1 John 5:14 says And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth.

It’s very clear to me God wants His children to ask Him about the specific things He wants to do in our lives, even the things we would like to happen in our lives as long as it lines up with His will.  In fact, He welcomes us to ask Him how we should pursue our adventures because this shows Him we want His guidance.

This sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Like white fluffy clouds and rainbows kind of wonderful? It definitely is— but I’m about to drop a bomb. When I learned this truth, I faced opposition from the enemy. The devil doesn’t want me to reach the full potential of who God created me to be. He wants me to wander around aimlessly hoping I’ll settle for only some of God’s good and perfect gifts. He knew when I got to the point where I asked, sought, and knocked because I wanted the best God had for me that I was expecting big things from God. I was anticipating miracles. O,f course he didn’t like that at all.

I truly believe this is why my blog was banned from Facebook, it’s simply an attack from the enemy. He wants me to be discouraged from “purpose praying,” and he doesn’t want me to share my faith. But I for one am determined to keep telling others what God has done for me. I  refuse to stop reaching for the sky. And I will not give up on the callings God has placed on my life. The asking, seeking, and knocking has begun and now adventure awaits!