Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV), “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.” Those are powerful words from our precious Lord and Savior. They give us tremendous confidence when we approach God in prayer, and they remind us that He is not distant or unwilling to hear us. He actually invites us to come to Him and ask. He tells us to seek and to knock. In other words, don’t sit back quietly hoping something changes—bring your requests to the Father.
But here’s something many of us don’t stop to think about. Most of us know how to ask God for what we want, but we don’t always think about what His answer might require from us. We pray for blessings, open doors, relationships, opportunities, and breakthroughs. But sometimes when God answers, His answer comes with stretching, correction, or growth that we didn’t see coming.
He invites us to ask, to seek, and to knock with expectation that He hears us and responds. Yet many of us have learned how to ask God for what we want without taking time to consider whether we are truly prepared for what His answer may look like or sound like. Sometimes the blessing we desire requires growth, maturity, and a deeper level of obedience that we may not yet have considered.
So before we rush to ask, it’s wise to pause and examine our hearts. Are we ready for what we’re praying for? Are we prepared to handle the responsibility that may come with the blessing? Because asking God is the easy part. Being ready to receive what He gives—that’s where the real work of faith often begins.
In Daniel 9:4-5 (NIV), Daniel goes before God in deep repentance and prayer, “4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”
Daniel pleaded, prayed, and fasted before God after learning from the prophet Jeremiah that Jerusalem would endure seventy years of hardship because of their sin and unfaithfulness. Instead of just accepting it and moving on with life, Daniel went to work in prayer. He humbled himself before God, confessing the sins of the people and asking the Lord to show mercy and bring restoration without delay.
In a similar way, many single women of God have been laboring before the Lord with a heartfelt request. You’ve been praying for a good husband, and if you’re honest, you don’t want God to delay that blessing another day, week, month, or year—because for many of you, it already feels like the wait has been long enough. But while you are asking and believing God in faith, it’s also wise to take some time to examine your own heart while you wait. Sometimes the season of waiting isn’t just about God preparing the blessing—it’s also about Him preparing us.
We all want to reflect our blessed Lord and Savior, but if we’re honest there will be times when the Holy Spirit shows us that there’s still work to be done in how we treat other people. Before asking God to place another human being’s heart in your hands, it’s wise to stop and examine yourself. Is your temperament under control? When you get upset, do you say whatever comes to your mind? When you don’t get what you want, will you respond with frustration or anger toward your husband?
Proverbs 16:32 (NLT) tells us, “Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” That kind of self-control doesn’t just appear overnight. It’s something we grow into as God works on our hearts. You may feel confident right now that you would never behave that way, but that’s usually because you’re not in the situation yet. These are the kinds of things we need to think about now—while we are still waiting on God.
Waiting on God isn’t always easy. Sometimes the waiting feels long, and if we’re honest, it can test our patience and our faith. But God never wastes a season of waiting. He uses it to strengthen us and prepare us for what He has planned. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT) reminds us, “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Becoming a wife requires learning, humility, and maturity if we want to build a marriage that is truly centered on the Lord Jesus Christ—one that is loving, fulfilling, and strong. Because after the vows are spoken and the wedding guests go home, real life begins. God is not holding back anything good from His children. But here’s the thing most of us already know: a loving parent doesn’t give a child something they aren’t ready to handle. A wise parent waits until the child is mature enough to receive it.
1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT) says, “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” The Kingdom of God isn’t just about saying the right words; it’s about living in His power. The same is true when we bring the desires of our hearts to God—He already knows what’s best for us. He knows who is right for us, and He knows the timing that will bring the greatest blessing.
If you’re getting tired of waiting and thinking about taking matters into your own hands, pause for a moment. God doesn’t need our help forcing His plan into place. What He does want is for us to keep seeking Him—knocking on the door of His Kingdom, pulling on Him in prayer, and trusting His guidance. He will not leave us wandering through life on our own. When you trust Him and let Him work in His perfect timing, you’ll find that what He brings into your life is always, always worth the wait. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“You Can Ask, But Are You Ready to Receive It?”, written by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2026. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
