We can make living a life worthy of our calling in Christ so complicated when we neglect one simple spiritual reality—we forget that we are powerless. It sure does take a long, long, long time to become holy. How many truly holy people do you know?

If you haven’t noticed by now, I would like to point out to you that becoming holy is a far cry from who we are. We are destined for holiness and called to holiness, yet once we get clear enough to want holiness, we realize how hard and distant holiness is. Rather than cause you to get discouraged and give up, I hope you will learn from what I have for this week; all I have to do is ask.

I was having one of those obviously less-than-holy weeks. It’s not that I was oblivious to all those around me, I’ve cleaned up pretty well so no one would have known that I wasn’t fully connecting to God as I once had. I knew. I could feel it. I was being tempted by one sneaky little thing that was keeping me distant from God.

Since I have become what is often thought of as a more mature Christian, I just condemned myself and went about trying to just stop it. The more I fought it, the further I felt from God. It was two full days before the simple solution hit me. I just cried out to God and told Him how powerless I am against this temptation. It was then that I began to feel the connection to his power.

Falling isn’t as much the problem as self-sufficiency is. All I had to do was ask. God is a gentleman. He often doesn’t come where He is not invited. Just a simple opening and He was with me in a special way.

My situation made me think back to Peter’s predicament when he asked Jesus to prove that He was Jesus by asking him to walk on water in the midst of the great storm. He got out of the boat and started to walk on water (the only disciple to ever walk on water) a great victory. In the midst of this mystical moment, he looked towards the menacing waves and gave into his natural fear. These were swells that had brought the entire flock of disciples to the brink of death.

The greater victory, above walking on water in a fierce storm, was crying out to Jesus for help. All he had to do was ask and Jesus pulled him out of the sinking position and lifted him back into the boat. Just when they got in, the storm ceased. Peter prayed the prayer that counts; he called Save me. Jesus said:

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” John 16:24.

Don’t forget to ask. You don’t have to wander about for days in a delusion of self-will. You can call out to Him at any moment. Just ask.