Pray Always

God has all things in His hands.  He knows the end from the beginning.  The Earth is His and all things in it belong to Him so He can give anything.  However, the purpose of prayer is not to "put in an order" to God.  Prayer is really about coming to know God.  As we communicate with Him, we can learn more about Him and eventually grow up to become like Him.

Dog training

If you want a good dog, you need to spend time with it so it knows what to do.  If you are with your dog, you can say, "no" to the things you don't want it to do, and "yes" to the things you want it to do.  Thus, the dog learns your will and becomes an obedient and good dog.

Children are no different.  If you want a good child, you need to be with him at all times and say, "no" to the things you don't want him to do, and "yes" to the things you want him to do.  Unless the child is completely rebellious, or unable to comply, he will become "the good son."  "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  (Proverbs 22:6)

In the same manner, as children of God, the more we spend personal time with Him, the more we can learn His will.  As we keep a prayer in our hearts, we can know His will through the Holy Spirit.  He tells us, "no" to the things He doesn't want us to do, and "yes" to the things He wants us to do.  Thus, if we are compliant we learn His will in "all things."  But if we don't listen, we will not hear His word or come to know His will.

Why we ask

As children first learn to relate to their parents based only on their needs, we first learn to relate to God based on our needs.  The infant is only interested in food, drink, diaper changes, sleep, and comfort.  He lets his mom know what he needs by fussing, whining, or crying.  As he grows his needs increase, but so does his ability to ask.  Parents ask him to "use his words" instead of crying or whining when he wants something.  The parents may comply with the request, or not, depending on their judgment of what is best for the child.

This concept is no different from how we come to know God.  We begin by asking for everything we want.  He may comply or not, depending on His judgment of what is best for us.  We learn to trust His judgment as we receive, not what we want, but what we need at His hand.  Sometimes He will say that He doesn't want us to do something, but we do it anyway.  When we discover the consequences of our sin we realize that when we don't obey Him, we suffer.

As time goes on, we begin to understand that God knows everything, and has our best interest at all times.  We always find wisdom in His counsel. When we do as he directs we find growth, and happiness, but when we don't we find pain and misery.  Because of our experiences we always to go to Him to find out what we should ask for so we can grow, seeking His will instead of our own. 

As we seek His will for us, and perform every word of command with exactness, we become reconciled to Him, submitting our own will to His.  At this point, growth is exponential.  His righteous will is for our growth and development so everything He tells us to do helps us to improve.  Though it is still hard, we have the comfort of knowing that the path leads to happiness, love, and Eternal Life.

Do not ask amiss

As youngsters in the Spirit, we recognize that all things come from God.  We know that He owns everything and can give us anything we want.  Therefore, it makes perfect sense that we should begin asking Him for what we want.  The problem is, we often don't want what is good for us, or what will help us to grow, but rather for the things that would destroy us.  We don't like to eat broccoli, spinach, carrots, and peas.  We want "fast food," restaurant food, and sweetened cold cereal.  If we get what we want, we will be in pain and unhealthy.

James explains this, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."  (James 4:3)  To "consume it upon your lusts" is a metaphor for the things that we want in the world that bring only temporary pleasure, but prevent us from growing in the Spirit.  Thankfully, God doesn't often comply with such requests.  However, James goes on to say that we had better be careful what we ask for, because if we continue to ask for things that aren't good for us, God will give it -- to our condemnation.  In other words, though it is a gift from God, it will hurt us.

Seeking His will

Thus, the true purpose of prayer is to know what the will of God is in any situation.  His word tells us what to ask for.  Those things that are written in the Scriptures tell us who we are and what our potential is so we can ask for those things that will help us reach it.  Thus, even the gifts we seek at His hand are those He wills for us, such as the gifts of the Spirit.  "Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts."  (D&C 46:8-9)

Also, we pray for help in overcoming our weaknesses so we can have His Spirit with us.  The Holy Ghost reveals the will of the Lord so we can know what to do in all things.  There is no decision too big or small that we cannot ask to know what the will of God is.  As we learn the will of the Lord and do it, we align our will to His.

When considered in this light, it makes perfect sense that we are commanded to "Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing—yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and corruptibleness to the extent thereof."  (D&C 19:38)