How Should We Pray to Have Our Prayers Answered?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to 3 Nephi 12-16 in a lesson titled “I Am the Law, and the Light.” The lesson was introduced with the following information. 

Like Jesus’s disciples who gathered to hear the Sermon on the Mount in Galilee, the people who gathered at the temple in Bountiful had lived the law of Moses. They had followed it because it pointed their souls to Christ (see Jacob 4:5), and now Christ stood before them, declaring a higher law. But even those of us who have never lived the law of Moses can recognize that the standard Jesus set for His disciples is a high one. “I would that ye should be perfect,” He declared

(3 Nephi 12:48). If this makes you feel inadequate, remember that Jesus also said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (3 Nephi 12:3). This higher law is an invitation – another way of saying “Come unto me and be ye saved” (3 Nephi 12:20). Like the law of Moses, this law points us to Christ – the only One who can save and perfect us. “Behold,” He said, “I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live” (3 Nephi 15:9).

This lesson included several principles, including “I can be a true disciple of Jesus Christ” (3 Nephi 12-14), “Blessed are those who believe without seeing” (3 Nephi 12:1-2; 15:23-24; 16:1-6), and “I can strive to purify the desires of my heart” (3 Nephi 12:21-30; 13:1-8, 16-18; 14:21-23). However, I feel prompted to discuss another principle, “Heavenly Father will give me good things as I ask, seek, and knock” (3 Nephi 14:7-11). I will first include the scripture block for this thought.

7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

            8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that                                  knocketh, it shall be opened.

            9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone?

            10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

            11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much           more                shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

This scripture block tells us that Heavenly Father is a loving parent who wishes to bless His children. However, He honors our agency and our relationship with Him so much that He wants us to ask for the blessings that we want and need. There are other scriptures that may help us to better understand this principle.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

            9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and                    my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

These verses tell us that Heavenly Father thinks and does things different than we do. So, when we ask for blessings from Him, we should tell Him that we are willing to accept whatever it is that He wishes to give to us.

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will (Helaman 10:4-5).

These verses tell us that Heavenly Father blesses His children according to the way that we keep His commandments. When we are obedient to His commandments, His blessings may come more quickly than when we are not obedient.

26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain (Moroni 7:26-27, 33, 37).

These verses tell us that he will give us what we ask, but we should ask with faith in Jesus Christ for those things that are good. They also tell us that God can and does work miracles when we ask with faith in Jesus Christ.

7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto.

8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me

(Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9).

These verses tell us that Heavenly Father expects us to do what we can for ourselves. We should study the problem and decide or plan how to solve it. Then we should ask God if our decision is correct. If it is a good decision, then we will have a good feeling. If it is an unwise decision, we will feel that it is wrong.

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you (Doctrine and Covenants 88:64).

This final verse tells us that Heavenly Father will give us what we ask for in the name of Jesus Christ if it is “expedient” for us. Expedient means helpful or useful in a particular situation.

The above scriptures explain why some prayers are answered as we ask, and some are not. I learned this principle recently when my son had a terrible accident while mountain climbing.

I had been praying for days that my son would be protected, so I was a little frustrated when I heard that he was severely injured. When I asked Heavenly Father where He was when my son was falling, the Spirit whispered to me, “I was with Him – protecting him from more serious injury.”

Numerous miracles took place in the fall, the rescue, and the recovery. At this point, it looks like my son will recover completely from an accident that could have killed him or left him with brain, spinal cord, or breathing problems. I highly recommend asking Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ to bless us and our families and then leave the answer to Him.