“Ask, and ye shall receive”.
It’s a scripture I’ve read and heard quoted throughout my life.
But I would venture to say that anyone who has asked a question during a prayer has experienced a time when no answer was received.
So… what advice does the Lord give to David Whitmer in his time of struggling? (D&C 30:3)
INQUIRE
and then
PONDER
Ask the Lord, of course.
But then ponder.
I can think of times where I pray and then my mind is brought to events way in the back of my memory. I usually view it as my mind randomly wandering…
Until I ponder about why the Spirit would bring that event to my remembrance.
And all of a sudden, the connection is made. The answer is clear. Or at least, a little more clear.
I can think of other prayers where my mind doesn’t seem to be brought anywhere. And then I have a very normal day. And then I ask the same question again in a different prayer, and suddenly my mind thinks about that random conversation I had with a friend at the park.
There was my answer to my prayer, and I didn’t even realize it.
And other times, I’ve asked. And asked. And asked.
And it feels like there’s nothing, although I have faith that there’s something.
Until finally, a year later, I look back and realize that my prayer was totally answered, piece by piece, day by day.
The Lord answers prayers when we ask.
But sometimes, and more often than I’d like to admit, I don’t even notice the little answers, the nudges, the guidance.
Pondering is that missing piece for me.
It’s that opportunity for the Lord to give answers, yes.
But it’s also the opportunity for the Spirit to show me that answers were already given in ways that I didn’t even notice.
Seek. Ask. Inquire.
PONDER.
And then, ye shall receive and find.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
2 Responses
My husband has always struggled as to why his prayers weren’t being answered. My daughter just read this and forwarded your post and it has opened his eyes to see that there are so many ways our prayers can be answered and that we need to ponder and be patient. Sometimes we will get answers in ways we may not recognize too. Thanks for your insight and for sharing your thoughts about Come Follow Me.
Glad that this could be helpful. It sometimes so hard to see how and when prayers are answered.