S. Michael Wilcox wrote:
There are times in my life when I think He answers, but I misunderstand the message. . . . I expected one answer and got another. In the Gospel of Luke the Lord urges us to come to him for answers. “Ask, he says, “and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” (He is always telling us that. It’s one of those principles he repeats many, many times because he does not want us to miss it.) “For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
He then illustrates that truth: “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will ye give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil [meaning being human—imperfect], know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give [good gifts through] the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:11-13).
There are times in our lives when I think the Lord says, I gave you bread, but it wasn’t the bread you wanted and because you keep thinking about the kind of bread you wanted you’ve turned my bread into a stone. I gave you a fish, but it wasn’t the flavor of fish that you wanted, and you’ve turned the fish into a serpent. Or I gave you an egg, but I cooked it differently from how you ordered it, and you think I’ve given you a scorpion. ~ S. Michael Wilcox, (A Year of Powerful Prayer, 2013) p.259
