My word for this year was ASK.
I intended to steep myself in good teaching on prayer.
And I did.
I determined to establish a more consistent prayer life.
And I did.
I set out to ask, seek and knock.
And I did.

Now, as the year winds down,
it seems God has one more lesson for me on asking.

I tend to think of asking as always asking for something. I add to my list of prayer requests week after week, hoping for a positive outcome — to get what I’m asking for. I am looking for a result with a good benefit and it doesn’t get checked off my list until I receive that answer. Even when asking for “spiritual” things, the desire is still there for action, change, fulfillment.

Then God began to ask me some questions.

What if there is another kind of asking?
The kind that isn’t focused on results?
What if you asked different types of questions?

Like:
God, what do You want me to know before I go into this day?
Should I buy this ____, or wait?
What books do You want me to read?
Where would You like us to go on vacation?
Who do You want me to reach out to today?
What should we write about today?
Lord, what other questions do You have for me?
What are You asking of me?

A year spent exploring prayer, and the whole time my emphasis was on my words — how to pray, what to pray, when to pray. And I learned so much. But the fact that this new insight didn’t come up until the end of the year makes me wonder if God couldn’t get a word in edgewise until now.

I’m grateful for the invitation to ask.
Ask and it will be given to you.
Seek and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened to you.

I’m grateful for this new invitation to ask better questions.
And learn to be a better listener.