Asking God with Confidence
By Lynette Kittle
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” - Matthew 7:7
As a Senior Publicist for the largest publisher in the world, pitching media outlets and asking boldly for author opportunities was hard at first but soon became easy to do. The more I asked, the easier it became to ask. Because publicity work involves constantly making requests, I soon discovered how, in the long run, learning to ask unhindered and without fear is a very beneficial skill to acquire in life.
As well it’s a career where one has to learn to be unafraid of being rejected, hurt, or offended if people say “no thanks,” respond rudely, or totally ignore requests. It's also one that involves unexpected surprises like shooting for the stars and finding out that sometimes they’re reachable.
Most importantly, it teaches how to rely on God’s leading rather than our own ideas. Like Proverbs 3:5,6 urges, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Overall, publicity work is like boot camp training for letting go of the fear of asking, it’s an intense course in how to practice what Hebrews 4:16 urges, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Practice, Practice, Practice
Growing up as the baby in the family and as a “daddy’s girl,” my mother and brother would often push me to ask my dad for things rather than asking themselves. Reluctant to approach him on their own, they routinely asked me to be the messenger, and because I was confident in my dad’s love for me, I had no fear of asking him.
Sometimes my requests surprised him, and he would chuckle at my boldness in asking him, not knowing many times that I had been put up to do so. Most often, my generous father would say “yes” to my requests. Like my dad wanted to meet my requests, James 1:17 explains God’s heart as our Father, towards us. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Looking back, I see how my family’s push to be the one to ask my dad was great training for my future publicity work but even better preparation in teaching me how to be bold in approaching and asking my Heavenly Father.
It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask
Like in publicity work, where it doesn’t hurt to ask, isn’t it better to ask God than not ask at all? Although some Christians might believe it’s not right to ask God for anything or impose heavy restrictions on what is okay or not okay to ask Him, He encourages us to ask. As James 4:2 explains, many Christians are experiencing lack because they aren’t asking God.
Others think they can’t ask God because of who they are or what they’ve done but asking God isn’t dependent on our failures or our accomplishments but rather on whom He is. “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). As well, God is a giver, and it’s not His nature to withhold from us. As Psalm 84:11 describes, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
Start Asking God
God is the ultimate giver (John 3:16), “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) He is the God who longs to fulfill the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). So keep asking Him and if you haven’t been asking, start asking today.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Have you been hesitant in asking God for anything, thinking He doesn’t care, isn’t listening, or you’re undeserving to receive? If so, step out in the coming weeks and start turning to Him when needs come up, asking Him to lead you in your requests, and see what happens.
Further Reading:
6 Good Gifts God Gives His Children
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/lolostock
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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