3 Nephi - Chapter 14

7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

What a precious and open invitation.  In actuality it is hardly qualified by any small print.  As I walked today, after reading this chapter, a thought occurred to me -  It isn't hard for most of us to recognize mortality as a schooling situation and opportunity.  It isn't hard to recognize God as the Schoolmaster.  Why, then, is it that we will go to the Schoolmaster and, without a second thought ask Him to do our homework for us?  Why, are we so willing to request that He excuse us from taking tests and fulfilling other requirements in our educational process?  We wouldn't think of going to a teacher, professor, principal or dean and make such a request.  At school it is quite obvious that the education process requires much of us.  Why then are we so quick to think that the school of life would be different or that the Schoolmaster would be so foolish as to let us skate by without doing the work?

So, it follows that much of what I have been asking for over the years was inappropriate and therefore not likely to be given.  How much better that we ask the Lord what He'd have us do and for His assistance in doing it, rather than to spend our prayers asking to be excused from that which will build, strengthen, develop and prepare us.