Encouragement for Today

July 25, 2025 Keep On Asking JODI HARRIS Lee en español

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NLT)

With a recent move, I assumed my family’s search for a new church would be easy. We knew the benefits and blessings of belonging to a church. We also knew the heartache of conflict and slander.

Wanting to avoid the pain of the past and dive into a healthy church quickly, I came in hot, ready to join and serve.

Each Sunday, I had fresh optimism: This will be where we finally settle, heal, and have hope again. But we didn’t settle. We weren’t yet healed. And hope was fading.

My constant prayers for God’s help and direction through our church hurt seemed to go unanswered. Didn’t God want us settled in and serving, like, right now?

Have you ever been lost in the wilderness of church hurt and church healing? Trying to find your new place? Wondering how to reconnect after the disconnect?

Friend, I know that journey well. Walking with a hurt not yet fully healed, waiting and wandering, wishing for clarity and belonging right now.

Today’s key verse encourages us, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Jesus preached this to a crowd as He taught them about prayer, urging them never to give up asking for what they needed. Prayer is not a one-time wish on a penny tossed into a fountain. It’s intimate, ongoing communication with God where we get to know His heart and He transforms ours.

He promises us that when we pray persistently, He provides the path. It’s often an unexpected one — because it’s His and not ours. But through consistent prayer, He reconnects our disconnected hearts with His.

Waiting can feel like the worst thing, especially in our world of instant answers. But what if God has something more for us in the waiting?

Our waiting is working out God’s will in us, healing our hearts, building boldness and blessing as He strengthens our hope and faith to reveal His glory and goodness. Waiting produces stronger faith, more joy and peace, more Christlike character, more love. It shows us more of God Himself.

As I wait with Jesus, my church hurts are healing and making me more empathetic to others on a similar road. Many of us have experienced church hurt or know someone who has. We might struggle to keep showing up, or maybe we've stopped going to church altogether. Jesus knows what deep hurt and rejection feel like. He sees us in our pain and longs to heal us and reunite us with His people.

Our job is to cheer one another on so we won’t grow weary or lose heart as we wait for healing (Hebrews 12:1-3). Let’s keep praying and keep being transformed.

Lord, we want more of You. Help us to keep asking while we wait, and as You transform us, You will answer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

This summer, prioritize healthy relationships. Don’t miss Therapy & Theology podcast’s summer miniseries on red flags. Each episode will help you assess warning signs, gain self-awareness, and build healthier relationships by growing into an even healthier version of yourself. Start listening now!

ENGAGE

Connect with today’s devotion writer, Jodi Harris, on her website or on Facebook.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired” (AMP).

In the comments, share something you are persistently praying for. What do you think God might be teaching you while you wait?

© 2025 by Jodi Harris. All rights reserved.