There are several steps involved in establishing a relationship with God. Life is challenging; relationships, broken and frayed. There are times when life seems to be knocking you down and nothing you do seems to work. Finances are dwindling, anger and disappointment have set in. You start to ask yourself “what’s the point?” These things happen and they seem to pile up on not only you but everyone around you too. You feel that life is just passing you by and there doesn’t seem to be any sort of hope for the future.
Many people answers are small questions or love ones through brief prayers in times of crisis or small ceremonies such as thanks. You can’t expect to just be able to establish a relationship with God without putting any effort in. The following tips will help you on your journey in establishing a relationship with God:
STUDY THE BIBLE
The bible has about 700,000 verses which are about 2,800,000 words. That’s a lot of words. So how do you study the bible? That’s what they want to know. I think of it in two parts. The first is getting an understanding of it. The second is applying it to your life. One way to do this is to read a short chapter in the bible. For instance, reading the book of 1st John over and over for a month would give you an in-depth understanding of it than just reading different chapters with analyzing it.
For me, I read the book of James every day for a month to ensure that the lessons in it stuck with me and it is something that I can apply to my daily life. You can start by keeping your Bible close by! Learn to draw close to God by spending time in his word. Bible study is one of those terms that can feel overwhelming but doesn’t need to be! There are a lot of different Bible study methods, but I say don’t overthink it.
Overthinking tends to lead to not getting started and I don’t want that for you! If you haven’t been in the routine of regularly studying your bible, it is as simple as starting with a weekly goal. Once a week grab your Bible and go through some verses. Connecting with the Bible more often is a sure fast way for building a relationship with God that is strong!
tALKING TO GOD IN PRAYER
One thing that helps develop a relationship with God in prayer. Yes, talking with the Almighty God is exactly what prayer is all about. Prayer is contact with God, a major tool He provides us to develop our relationship with Him and our knowledge of Him. When we truly understand the reality of God—who and what He is, how He thinks, what He does, what He purposes—we will be able to discern what motivates a statement or action.
There’s a reason why He is called God. One would think that a relationship with God would last forever, but the truth is, it can grow cold if you don’t keep it alive. It’s important to establish a relationship with God more than just telling Him what you’re thankful for every once in a while. When we talk to God in prayer, we connect with Him and remind ourselves who we are talking to and why we should be so grateful for Him.
Think of prayer as an act of communication with God. Consider what He might want to hear from you. Add joy and intensity to your prayers. Find a Bible version that you enjoy using and use it every time you pray. Prayer is a connection to God, communication can help build that connection. Know that no matter what happens, His will is going to happen for you.
SEEING GOD AS A FRIEND
An amazing experience can happen when we begin to see God as a friend rather than an impersonal judge. As Jeffrey Zuber tells the story, after college he found himself depressed and confused. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life or who I was. I was like a shipwrecked sailor floating aimlessly in the sea looking for something solid to grab on to so that I could make it to shore”.
God gave us the gift of friendship so that we could have an intimate relationship with Him. But this type of relationship doesn’t just happen. God makes it clear that it takes time and effort. How do you see Him as a friend? This is a subject that is easily misunderstood. It’s important to understand what the Bible says and learn how to apply it.
I will let you in on a secret. If you are looking for the relationship with God you need, you have it already. You just don’t see it as clearly as I do yet. What is this relationship? It is not some special club where you have to pay your dues, or engage in some new age spiritual mumbo-jumbo (although that may help some). No, the best description of this relationship is friendship. We often think of God as a judge or even as a threat. But a friend? This is a God that we can relate to and even one that we can have fun with!
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. As for God, He sings our song in a sweet and gentle way. But listen closely and it’s easy to hear Him humming along.
WORSHIPPING GOD THROUGH SERVICE
Worshipping God is a responsibility that both rests upon our shoulders and flows from our very core. How do we examine what true worship is as well as what it means to lead the life of a worshipper? Worshiping God is one of our most important responsibilities in life, yet many don’t fully understand its essence.
The definition of worshiping God is to come into a relationship with the ever-living God. Regardless of your spiritual background, God is inviting you into a deeper walk with Him. Serving others is an important component of this kind of drawing closer to God and knowing him as He truly is. By drawing near to God through Who He is, the better we are able to influence those around us. The Word says, “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching,” Jesus said (John 14:23). Our goal is to provide some insightful information that will help you get more acquainted with the awesome power.
Love is the greatest virtue that a human being could ever possess. Loving God will completely change your life and attitude towards others. The purpose of this blog is to remind us of the true meaning of serving God with utmost conviction and diligence. It starts by doing small things each day, and eventually, we’ll acquire the skills that would lead us to establish a relationship with God.
Now you have all of the information you need to help you get started building a relationship with God!
The changes these tips have brought me are priceless and I’m honored to be given this chance to share my journey with you.
If you are finding this still just a little bit overwhelming, start with picking 1 thing to do today!
Look for something else to read, check out this blog I wrote previously on Intellectual Wellness.
