--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seek if you have not found. “You ask and…" description: "\"“ Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss . . .” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from Go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/oswald-chambers-205_desire_seek-if-you-have-not-found-you-ask-and-d_983092.jpg" --- # Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive… ![“Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss . . .” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “. . . seek…” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/oswald-chambers-205_desire_seek-if-you-have-not-found-you-ask-and-d_983092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/oswald-chambers-205_desire_seek-if-you-have-not-found-you-ask-and-d_983092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c2/oswald-chambers-205_desire_seek-if-you-have-not-found-you-ask-and-d_983092.jpg) > ““ Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss . . .” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “. . . seek, and you will find . . . .” Get to work—narrow your focus and interests to this one thing. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you simply given Him a feeble cry after some emotionally painful experience? “. . . seek, \[focus,\] and you will find . . . .”” [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fulfillment comes from seeking God wholeheartedly, not from self‑centered desires; aligning focus with divine purpose leads to genuine discovery. **In simple terms:** Seek God fully, not just for personal gain. Key Takeaway Align your heart with divine purpose. Themes faith purpose spirituality Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - daily meditation - life decisions - overcoming selfishness Key Concepts divine alignment self‑transcendence Questions to Reflect On - What does seeking God with your whole heart look like? - How can you shift focus from self‑fulfillment to divine purpose? A Different Perspective Self‑centered pursuits can distract from deeper meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ## Related quotes > [The more you fulfill yourself, the less you will seek God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-more-you-fulfill-yourself-the-less-you-will-seek-god/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [There are two kinds of people in the world: those who seek God and those who seek to avoid him... and both will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-boa/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-those-who-seek-god-and/) [Kenneth Boa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-boa/) > [Know that when you seek anything of your own, you will never find God, because you do not seek God purely. You are seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/know-that-when-you-seek-anything-of-your-own-you-will-never-find-god/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“What’s a brokenhearted person to do? We must praise God, seek God, look to God, call to God, experience God, fear God, learn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/what-s-a-brokenhearted-person-to-do-we-must-praise-god-seek-god-look/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [The only way to seek God is to seek God first. Deny the nayward, affirm the yeaward, be true to those stirrings and motions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-toomer/the-only-way-to-seek-god-is-to-seek-god-first-deny-the-nayward-affirm/) [Jean Toomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-toomer/) > [It is a myth that man in his natural state is genuinely seeking God. Men do seek God. But they do not seek him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/it-is-a-myth-that-man-in-his-natural-state-is-genuinely-seeking-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/what-is-an-idol-it-is-anything-more-important-to-you-than-god/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“enlightened ones do not seek God. They seek only to destroy the faith of those who do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulem-deen/enlightened-ones-do-not-seek-god-they-seek-only-to-destroy-the-faith/) [Shulem Deen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulem-deen/) > [You don’t need to seek opportunity. All you have to do is seek God. And if you seek God, opportunity will seek you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/you-don-t-need-to-seek-opportunity-all-you-have-to-do-is-seek-god-and/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“ Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/are-you-seeking-great-things-for-yourself-instead-of-seeking-to-be-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When we lose sight of God we become hard and dogmatic. We hurl our own petitions at God's throne and dictate to Him as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-we-lose-sight-of-god-we-become-hard-and-dogmatic-we-hurl-our-own/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/every-person-therefore-on-coming-to-the-knowledge-of-himself-is-not/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“Finally, I learned that we shouldn’t seek answers as much as we should seek God. We get overanxious. We try to microwave our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/finally-i-learned-that-we-shouldn-t-seek-answers-as-much-as-we-should/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“Romans 3:10-11 says, “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-brown/romans-3-10-11-says-as-it-is-written-there-is-no-one-righteous-not/) [Gregory Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-brown/) > [Those who forever seek the will of God are overrun by those who do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/those-who-forever-seek-the-will-of-god-are-overrun-by-those-who-do-it/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) ## More by Oswald Chambers > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-jesus-christ-shed-his-blood-on-the-cross-it-was-not-the-blood-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/sorrow-burns-up-a-great-amount-of-shallowness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-holiness-is-not-drawing-towards-him-it-is-not-holiness-of-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/my-spiritual-history-must-have-as-its-underlying-foundation-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-always-have-visions-before-a-thing-is-made-real-when-we-realize/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-lasting-value-of-our-public-service-for-god-is-measured-by-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The secret of the missionary is...I am His, and He is carrying out His work through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-secret-of-the-missionary-is-i-am-his-and-he-is-carrying-out-his/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) [Explore all 922 Oswald Chambers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. 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