Leading from the Place of ASK

Justine Leah Nagawa

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” — Matthew 7:7

There is something powerful about asking.

As women, we are often taught to give, nurture, serve, carry responsibility, and make things happen for others. We become the ones who anticipate needs, solve problems, encourage people, and keep things moving. Yet, in the midst of all that giving, we can sometimes forget one of the simplest invitations Jesus gave us: Ask.

Matthew 7:7 is not merely a verse about receiving what we want. It is an invitation into relationship with God. Jesus is reminding us that we have a Father who wants us to come to Him—to bring our questions, our dreams, our fears, our leadership challenges, and even our impossible situations.

Ask. Seek. Knock.

These three words give us a beautiful picture of leadership.

Ask: Have the Courage to Bring It to God

As leaders, there will be moments when we do not have the answer. We may not know how to navigate a difficult conversation, lead through uncertainty, build a stronger team, or make the right decision.

That is not weakness. It is an opportunity to ask God for wisdom.

James 1:5 says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

What a promise.

We do not have to lead from a place of having everything figured out. We can lead from a place of dependence on God. Perhaps the most courageous thing a woman leader can say is, “Lord, I need Your wisdom.”

Seek: Be Willing to Go Deeper

Asking is only the beginning.

Jesus also says, “Seek and you will find.”

Seeking requires intentionality. It means that we do not simply ask God for direction and then continue doing things our own way. We seek His heart. We seek His Word. We seek wise counsel. We seek understanding.

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Leadership requires discernment, and discernment grows when we learn to seek God before we seek answers from everyone else. Before asking, “What do people think?” perhaps we should first ask, “Lord, what are You saying?”

Knock: Keep Going

Then Jesus says, “Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Knocking suggests persistence. There may be doors we have prayed about for years. There may be opportunities we have hoped for, people we have been praying for, or breakthroughs we have not yet seen.

• Sometimes the answer is immediate.

• Sometimes it is delayed.

• And sometimes God opens a different door than the one we expected.

Leadership requires perseverance. Galatians 6:9 encourages us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Don't stop knocking simply because the door has not opened yet. God may be developing something in you while you wait.

What Are You Asking For?

• This is perhaps the most important question.

• What are we asking God for as women leaders?

• Are we asking for recognition, influence, and success—or are we asking for wisdom, character, courage, and the ability to serve others well?

Solomon gives us an example worth considering. When God gave him the opportunity to ask for what he wanted, Solomon asked for wisdom and discernment so that he could lead God's people well
(1 Kings 3:5–12).

What if our greatest requests were not simply, “Lord, bless me,” but “Lord, make me a blessing”? What if we asked for the courage to lead with integrity, the humility to listen, the wisdom to make difficult decisions, and the strength to build others up?

Philippians 4:6 tells us: “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

God invites us to ask. So let us ask boldly. Let us seek faithfully. Let us knock persistently. And as we lead, may our confidence not come from our own abilities, titles, experience, or accomplishments, but from knowing the One who has called us.

The Ask is not simply about what we want God to give us. It is about who we are becoming as we learn to trust Him.

So, women of God, what is your ask?

Bring it to Him.

Ask. Seek. Knock.

And trust God with the answer.

“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” — Matthew 7:8