Ask. Seek. Knock.

As most of you know, things have been very trying here at the Moore house for the past year and a half. When you begin to go through a fiery furnace, you never know how long it's going to take. You just want it to be over. You don't care why it's happening, you just want to go back to peace. But that's not how God works.

He wants to mold you. To reshape you. To refine you. To teach you. To strengthen you.

And it hurts.

But, that is not to say that you can't go to him and ask Him for strength. To seek His face for comfort and peace. To knock so that He can open the door and rest awhile with you.

I have done this many times. The answers may not have been what I wanted but they were always what was best. As I pleaded with God, it reminded me of my little kids and how they want to go in Dada's Car about 25 times a day. Or when Wesley wants a drink and he whines until I notice he's empty and go and fill his cup again. Or when they reach up to me and say, "I wanna hold you yike a baby!" I know that is how I am to God.

Sometimes I cry until He answers, whatever the answer will be. Sometimes I repeat the prayer several times a day just to make sure God knows it's on my mind and heart. Pouring my burdens on Him. And sometimes I just say, "God! Can you hold me please!? I don't know what to do or how to act and the right path is so foggy I can't decide which way to go..." And He does. Happily. He's there before I have even asked.

 A s k.          S e e k.         K n o c k.

Matthew 7:7-11 tells us that we have the ability to go before God Almighty and ask something of Him. To ask and we shall receive. To seek and we shall find. To knock and it shall be opened unto us. And better yet, when Wesley asks me for more milk I don't give him a stone...so me, being unholy, unrighteous, evil can give a good gift to my son, how much more can God who is holy, righteous and sinless, give to us?! And we act like we need to tell God what we really need!

Everything He allows to happen to us is for our own good. The sooner we learn that lesson the happier we will be, the more free we will be, and the less stress we will endure and inflict on others.

Oftentimes, we don't ask, seek, or knock. We tell everybody and their brother about it and go to God last. Now, during my trials I told anyone who listen and PRAY for me- but I also prayed on my own. But there have been times that, at the end of the day, I think to myself, "Did I even ask God for help in this matter? Why did I tell everyone else or ask them to pray and I haven't even done that yet?!" It's convicting. Humbling. But it's also human nature. We just have to keep that in mind and make sure our prayers and supplications go to God before they go to anyone else. No one else can fix it for us. It's OK to share our concerns and burdens and gives others a chance to pray for us just as long as God is first. 

I have learned from God himself that you don't just have to pray when you go to bed at night. That you can talk to Him when your washing the dishes, in the car going to the grocery store, folding laundry, when the kids are sleeping...and in those few quiet moments before your feet touch the floor in the morning and before you fall asleep at night to whisper thanks for God always being there, for being a holy God who has our concerns in mind, our life in His gentle yet mighty hands and for loving us before we loved Him. He sent His Son to die for you...can't you trust Him with your life?

Next time you are going through a valley and you can't seem to take it any more...just remember what Matthew said and Ask, Seek, Knock. There you will find the Answer!

Thank you God for promising to always hear me and provide for all my needs!


 Kelly Moore

Photo Credit: Picture on Facebook, "Jesus Christ Son of God"