3rd Nephi 18:20 reads:
"And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you." [Emphasis added]
During a recent lengthy car ride, AB asked if she could have more candy. At first, since it was lunch time, I replied that she couldn't, but that should could have as sandwich we had packed and made ready for her to eat. But do you think she was grateful for the efforts we went to, to make her as sandwich? Or the convenience of the ready to eat bread and or ingredients in between that someone else had worked hard to produce, packaged and made ready and convenient to purchase from a blessing called a grocery store? Or perhaps even the wisdom of a parent who knew it was lunch time? No! She just wanted the candy and threw a meltdown fit!
Once she came around and asked again for the candy, unable to drop the subject, I gave a reasonable yes with a condition. Once you have consumed your sandwich in its entirety, you may have some candy. Visibly distraught over this completely UNreasonable set of conditions, she countered, "OK. Daddy, I drink all of my juice (fruit punch) and when it's all gone, then you give me candy! Ok daddy thank you so much!"
Um... No. Not how it works! She understood a condition was finishing something to get something else in return, but did not perceive the value of one thing over another. Eventually, she gave up for a couple of hours. Being hungry, she didn't much care for or even bring up the candy, and happily ate her sandwich.
I am glad for the opportunity to be a parent and how it teaches me of God's love for me and how/why he works in the way he does. So often, in my spiritually naive and immature state, I ask for so many things I think are "right" or righteous desires, while in reality they are not. Sometimes, I can be humble, perceive what is right and ask it, but so often the Lord waits and allows me to become hungry, before I gladly and clearly ask for the "right" thing.
Note however the role seeking, accepting and acting on the father's will could have avoided hunger and brought additional blessings asked for earlier. Now, me being a clearly imperfect father, just imagine what our perfect Father then has in store for us as we seek and act upon a proper understanding of His will, or better yet seek and knock to know what to ask for in the first place! I believe there is much suffering we can avoid in life should we seek first what to ask the Lord for.
Also, it would make sense to me, that perpetually being grateful would aid in the ease of accepting the Lord's will and following Him.
I love the Lord and hope to be a more humble and trusting Son.
