The first step to receiving real help is in surrendering the concept that you can somehow do this on your own, or that there is something you must do to fix it... just be willing to change.

You get what you ask for. You really do get what you asked for...problem is, we often have no idea what it is that we were really asking for and so when we get it, we are often confused, upset and quite miserable.

I remember specific moments long ago when I would draw close to God and within a short period of time, everything seemed to be against me. More problems appeared to arise than to go away. More arguments occurred and I could only imagine, at that time, that it was the devil trying to put a wedge between myself and God. I would fight to some degree, but sooner or later, I would fail and feel condemned and guilty and I would eventually distance myself from God. Having done that...things often improved...to some degree at least.

The thing that always upset me was how God could let such bad things occur when I was trying so hard to improve my life. I could only imagine a Zeus-like God, enjoying himself as I battled with the impossible wagers he and satan had made with my life. I could only imagine that the Old Testament version of an angry, jealous, bitter and vengeful God was true. Where was Jesus anyway? I kind of thought his purpose was to put God in a half-nelson for a few thousand years so that God would stop being so cruel to the people on earth.

Have you been in that place where you feel hopeless after having cried out? Have you quit trying some time afterwards because things appeared too difficult to pursue? Are you tired of not getting past your problems? Would you like to actually succeed at improving your life?

When you ask God to intervene in your life, consider first the truth in that you really don't have to ask. He already wants so much to be invited into your life and he's not waiting to be asked...he's waiting to be allowed. Your free will brings him in or moves him out. By asking, you are really just opening yourself and inviting him in. The act of asking is really more an action of you dropping the barriers that are keeping him out.

No matter what you ask God for, help with finances, help with relationships, help with an illness...no matter what...the answer is always the same...."That is not your real problem. While you remain open to me and willing to change, I will help you with your real problem and then all these other problems will go away."

The problem with our requests is that we are not seeing things clearly enough in this world to know what the best things to ask for are. It's like we are driving down a wintery highway at night, window all covered with ice, and the snow is falling fast and furious. The fear of this experience can grip our hearts and make the trip a terrible one. This is how our lives really are. We are totally blinded about what is really around us and we are only seeing a few inches ahead at any time, and even then, it's foggy, stormy and very fearful.

On the other hand, God is above the storm and the Holy Spirit sees things exactly as they are and he knows exactly what thing is best to occur to get you through the storm. His role is to do everything and anything that will draw you towards the light. He knows your heart, he knows what you are capable of and he knows exactly how to help you.

The first step to receiving real help is in surrendering the concept that you can somehow do this on your own, or that there is something you must do to fix it. The greatest of all things is to just be willing to change. Be willing to let God heal your mind so that you will see and experience things differently than you had before.

Having opened your heart to God and having asked for his help, the first thing he must do...before anything else can occur...is to pull out all the skeletons from your closet. In other words, he can't help you with finances if there is greed in your life...he can't help your body to be healed while you have hate or unforgiveness in your heart...he can't help you find the perfect campanion in life while you are not honest with yourself. All these things, and thousands more, are blocking what you really need from God, so before he can answer the request you have made, he will bring circumstances into your life where the ugliest parts of you are exposed and/or brought into your awareness.

You may feel as though everything is going wrong...as though all is against you and that God has somehow become upset with you, but none of this is true to even the smallest degree. These circumstances are opportunities for change. There are cycles in our lives where we make the same mistakes over and over again. The sole purpose of these cycles is so we can eventually choose to react differently and make a better choice. These cycles are blessings of opportunity and when you choose differently...when you say "no" to something you've said yes to for years...when you choose not to shout back at somebody...when you see your fellow man as equals...when you share kindness and love where you shared anger before...when these things occur...you can be sure that you are on the road to real healing.

Whenever you break a cycle, a part of your mind is healed. The mind, or essence of your spirit, is the real you, not the body. The body, being just a projection of the mind, will change as the mind is healed. As with the crucifixion of Christ, he showed that the body can be destroyed, but not the spirit...and he showed that the spirit can even heal and bring back the body. With every healing, you become more loving, more peaceful, more patient, more wise and more joyful than you were before. With each cycle you break, your awareness of the world around you becomes clearer and you are less likely to start new cycles that are not good for you. Eventually, without angels descending...without thunder and without burning bushes, you will realize that your original request didn't matter at all because it wasn't the problem. The only problem was the distance that had grown between yourself and God.

You really never have to ask. Seek God first in all things spiritual and all the physical things of this world will work out perfectly for you. When you stop trying to do things to make change, you'll learn that all change comes from being. The things you do will change as you be more loving and as you be more patient...so focus on what God would have you be and then do whatever feels best.

Still feel like asking God for help? He's not looking to trip you. He's not seeking to hurt you. He's looking to provide you with the exact situations and circumstances necessary to draw you closer to him and improve every area of your life. The more open you become to him, the less likely it is that your life situations will have to be as dramatic to get your attention. So it's in everyones best interests to be as open as possible at all times, because life just becomes much more pleasant and happy.

All things work together for good, because we all love the Lord...and even if you don't know it of yourself, he does.