Ask God: We are to ask God for all of the things we desire from Him; but not for things He would not desire for us.

 

Ask God for the things you desire, but not for the things He would not desire for us: Do not, out of greed or vanity, pray to God, for the type of things, that can be harmful to our souls, or to others and God has no wish to grant us, for the great harm it will do to our souls. Be not despaired if our prayers are answered contrary to our wishes or not seemingly answered at all. Remember, God only, in reality, desires that which is best for us, even if events in our lives, appear severe in nature to our health and well-being. “We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, had ye but ears to hear.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 75)

Remember, God is trying to groom us for a good life in the next world, not for the vanities and pleasures of life in this plane of existence.  CHRISTIANITY: Matthew: 7:7 “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you:” Matthew: 7:8 “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew: 7:9 “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” Matthew: 7:10 “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?” Matthew: 7:11 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask.” Matthew: 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Matthew: 6:8 “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” But: James: 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Ask not for things We desire not for you, to do so is to ask amiss of that which is good and seemly

 JUDAISM: 2 Chronicles: “Ask help of (from) The LORD.” Deuteronomy: 3:14 “Ask diligently (thoughtfully); and behold.” But, Isaiah: 7:12 “I will not ask, (amiss) neither will I tempt The LORD,” by asking for things not needed or because of vanity. Ask not for things The Lord desires not for us! Sirach: 20:15 “He giveth little, and upbraideth much; he openeth (up) his mouth like a crier; today he lendeth, and tomorrow will he ask it again: such an one is to be hated of God and man.” He asketh for too much and giveth not back in return. (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha,)

 ISLAM: Letter 31. “Sometimes your prayers are turned down, and this is also in your interest; because you often, unknowingly, ask for things that are really harmful to you. If your requests are granted they will do you more harm than good and many of your requests may be such that if they are granted they will result in your eternal damnation. Thus the refusal to accede to your solicitations is a blessing in disguise to you. But very often your requests, if they are not really harmful to you in this life or in the Hereafter, may be delayed but they are granted in quantities much more than you had asked for, bringing in more blessings in their wake than you could ever imagine. So you should be very careful in asking Allah (God) for His Favour. Only pray for such things as are really beneficial to you, and are lasting and in the long run do not end in harm.”

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 8. “The best I ask of Thee, O Best, Ahura (God) Lord” 10. “Then show me (what is Right, to ask) upon whom I call Mazda (God).” “Ask Us now what things are here for thee to ask. For thy asking is as that of a mighty one, since he that is able should make thee as a mighty one possessed of thy desire.” 11. “As The Holy One, I recognized Thee, Mazda Ahura, when Good Thought came to me, when first by your very words I was instructed. Shall it bring me sorrow among men.” In-other-words, be very careful when you ask the best of your Creator, and be thoughtful of what is right to ask, that it bring not sorrow to you.

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasnas 28 and 43)

 HINDUISM: “But thou, want not! ask not!” Do not ask for things you do not need. Then, “Find full reward Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 2)

 BUDDHISM: 5. “Let them always ask Me,” but think about what you ask for? “Do not think lightly of evil that not the least consequence will come of it. Do not think lightly of good that not the least consequence will come of it.” “Do not follow after vanity, nor after sensual pleasure nor lust.” “Do not seek the pleasures of the senses.” “Do not babble on about desires.” “Do not follow (after) what should not be done.” “Do not be thoughtless.” (Always think about what you ask of Brahma/God) “Do not be careless,” about what you ask for, and ask not that which is not to be desired.

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 2 (J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “It will be given. Day by day, hour by hour, behold us Who stand in Thy name and are upheld by (calling on) Thy name.” “In the name of The Great Life (Haiyi/God)! May my thought, my knowledge and my understanding Enlighten me (through good reason).” “(Let) our petition, our prayers and our submission Rise up before Thee, Manda-d-Hiia! (Savior God) That which we have done forgive us, And that which we do, forgive us.” “Look upon me with Your eyes and pity me in Your heart! Support me with Your strength, clothe me with Your glory, cover me with Your light. Cut me not off from Yourself! And put far from me fear, dread and terror.” Ask, of Life, (Haiyi/God) for sincere reasonable assistance. (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 75, 76, 78 and 410)

 BABI RELIGION: “O YE servants of God! Verily, be not grieved if a thing ye asked of Him remaineth unanswered, Verily Thy Lord, the God of truth, knoweth the very secrets of hearts.” And, The Lord knows what ye have need of:

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 46)

BAHA’I FAITH: “O SON OF SPIRIT! Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)