The very next day when I saw that my nails were growing longer than
my desired length, I checked my purse, only to see nothing but bulk of
receipts and all. Then I remember my friend borrowed it. Oh-oh! I
assumed she didn't return it yet because I never heard from her after that
night. So I asked my colleague if she has one. Luckily, she brought
her own too. But wait... I don't think I have been lucky enough to properly cut
my nails. The problem was, the nail cutter's left edge was dull, so I was only
able to shorten my right hand's nails properly while the rest were left uncut.
But I'm not the quitter type; I am persistent. Winners never quit! I don't stop until I finish what
I ought to do and I do have to cut my nails on that very moment otherwise I'll
keep thinking about it for the rest of the day. Despite the blunt edge, I
forced to use it. Well, I ended up having wounds on both sides of my thumb, a
small blood clot, and crooked left hand nails. It looked pretty messed-up and I
have to wait few more days for my nails to heal from my (wrong
persistence???)
While still grieving from my freshly injured nails 😁😁😁, I dropped her a short message asking where my nail-cutter was.
She quickly replied telling me that she did return it that same night. (Face-palm
) So I quickly checked my bag, and there it is - my beloved
nail-cutter for the last four years!
Then it lead me to a conclusion:
A S K
A-sk
S-eek
K-nock
ASK
If I had only asked her then I wouldn't get into trouble of
forcing myself using a crooked-edge nail-cutter which left me wounded. If I
didn't insist on my own and assumed things, then I wouldn't have suffered
waiting for my nails to grow back to its normal shape. I wouldn't be in
pain.
I think, one of the reasons why we get hurt is because we didn't
ask but only assume. The reason why sometimes we fail is because we didn't ask
God's confirmation, if it is for us or no; if that is what we deserve or
there's something greater that waits for us; if that is what God planned for us
or He want us to be patient. Sometimes we get caught up in the moment of
excitement - excitement to get a new job, enter into a relationship, be part of
a group, own something new, make new plans, walk a new journey, but we drag
ourselves away from the real essence of waiting. We solely focus on what
we think is best for us while completely forgetting to ask God
first. We never bother asking God what He wants for us, what He wants us to do,
and how He would do that. We are simply occupied with the thought of getting
into it.
We must also remember that asking God directly is as important as
His confirmation to our heart's desires.
If we had only ask God to draw us to the job He wants us to get, then maybe we are not sitting on a lumpy chair waiting to clock out. Maybe we wouldn't have to go home feeling stressed-out and drained.
We fail in our relationship because we didn't ask God if our partner is the one given by God, we only assumed that he/she is because he/she has got it all. If we had only asked God to meet His reserved someone for us, then maybe we wouldn't be heartbroken; we wouldn't have felt the pain and regrets.
If we're lacking financially, then ask God to give financial
provision so we can be a blessing to other people, not a burden. If we want to
move our career to a forward direction, simply kneel down and ask God to help
you land a better job. If we want the betterment out of ourselves, ask God to
change your heart and transform you completely. If there are plans that must
be turn into a reality, ask God. Pray and pray and pray. Never cease praying
until it happens. We can't just sit still then wait until our dreams come true.
We need to ask. It's all about ASKING and WAITING.
We can't assume, we can only ask God to guide us and maneuver our
lives.
Like what Jesus said on His sermon on the mount “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".
It won't be given if you
don't ask for it. You won't find it if you don't look for it. And it won't be opened if you don't knock.
SEEK
Going back to my nail-cutter story where I assumed she didn't
return, it was obvious that I didn't seek elsewhere but only search where it is
supposed to be. I was too focused with the thought that it is only there inside
my coin purse. I didn't consider that it could be somewhere else - that it
could be in my bag already.
The same goes through in our lives, our eyes and mind are too
focused at only one thing, at one chance, without realizing that God has a million
ways to help us. We're too busy thinking that "this is the only way",
"this is the only solution to our problem", "this is the only
thing I can do" " that's all there is". But hey! We have a
God of endless possibilities. If plan A didn't succeed, remember that we
still have plan B to Z to work it out. If you think that giving up is the
solution then you are completely wrong. I think you're belittling our big God for not
trusting His ways and His timing.
If you can't find it there, maybe it's already in front of you or
maybe it is on the other end, you just have to seek. Maybe it's not where we
think it should be, try looking around and explore.
Before you stop trying, why don't you seek God first and allow Him
to control your life.
Before you think that there's nothing else left, look up and
you'll see God waiting for you to notice Him. Yes, He is waiting for us to seek
Him.
KNOCK
It's all about having the courage to knock, to try at least once,
and faith that there's someone on that door who will gladly open it for
you.
Jesus said - "Knock and it will be opened unto you." -
that phrase is an indication of God's invitation - that all we have to do
is KNOCK and every doors of blessings and opportunities will pop up in front of
us. I love this verse because it gives me an assurance that God always has
something in store for us; that He is just right there standing in front of the
door waiting for a single tap on the other side.
He made everything ready for us. We just have to knock with faith
that it will open for us.
I pray that all of us will have that boldness to knock on heaven's
gate, carrying a great confidence and certainty that God will open it for
us.
More often than not, it's the simple instances that
give the greatest realization and impact to us. It often leads us to an aspect of our
lives that needs cure or fixing and awakening. Like my nail cutter story, had I
not injured myself, I wouldn't realize what was wrong. I wouldn't figure out
that all this time I was not asking God directly. All I did was just wait
without asking.
So, next time before we put ourselves into danger - ask,
seek, and knock to God first. 😊
Love,
Raine
