How to Build a Closer Relationship With God
The rose-colored twilight rising from behind the spruce trees reminds me of alpenglow against the Rockies at dawn. Somehow, God’s light shining into our dark places is magical no matter where in the world we find ourselves. I’m not really pondering deep theological questions—like how to build a closer relationship with God—as I read through my morning Scripture passage.
As usual, the reading takes less than ten minutes. I cross it off the list, and I’m onto the next thing.
How to Build a Closer Relationship With God
Today’s “next thing” is reading a few articles by other writers, gleaning from their wisdom, and offering encouraging words to the women who wrote the thoughtful words.
Somewhere in my mind, encountering God in the stillness of the morning has slipped to an afterthought, and this ministry of encouraging others has leaked into the time meant to be spent alone with my Father.
A half-hour later, the kids finally tumble from their warm beds, and I find myself snapping at every request and barking orders instead of greeting them with kindness.
Pausing to watch the sun rise white over maples, a quiet thought passes through my mind: What if building my ministry is hindering the growth that matters most in my life?
What if this ministry of writing and encouraging others is stunting the growth of something more important?
Going Deeper With the Lord
It takes time to build any ministry, whether it’s a church plant, writing career, or business.
I wonder how many of us are stunting our spiritual growth by allowing time with God to be replaced with time spent growing our ministries.
It’s the Bible school teacher who never seeks God for God—she’s always writing her lessons.
We see it in the church leader who spends hours preparing messages and spends only minutes seeking the face of God.
It’s the elementary school teacher who somehow slips from reading her morning devotional online to searching Pinterest for bulletin board ideas.
It’s the student who spends three minutes in God’s Word and three hours writing a research paper.
It feels productive to breeze through Bible reading and get on to the next task. Sadly, I hinder my spiritual growth when I’m more concerned with my ministry than my relationship with God.
We cannot give to others what we do not have first for ourselves.
We cannot give to others what we do not have first for ourselves. #encounteringGod #seekingGod Share on XHow to Build a Closer Relationship With God
I want to minister well, pour out love, and teach others.
Sadly, I rob them of the best teaching when I stop short in my own personal growth.
A mentor once told me that if you can’t explain what you just read, then you don’t fully understand what you just read. In the same way, if I can’t articulate how God is moving and working in my life right now, how can I lead others to deeper places of faith?
We have to fill up if we’re going to pour out.
If you’re struggling to go deep in your walk of faith, if you’re trying to build your ministry more than you’re trying to grow with God, and if you want to know how to deepen your relationship with God, here are a few suggestions to get back on track:
1. Deepen your relationship with God by studying the Bible for yourself.
We need to learn to open the Bible and study it for ourselves. Devotional books and online messages are helpful and necessary, but it’s important to learn to study for ourselves as well. When I don’t learn to dig into God’s Word and apply it to my life—alone with God—I miss the deepest kind of spiritual growth.
I have discovered that a short commentary is helpful. As long as I’m predominantly reading God’s Word and using the commentary simply as a supplemental resource, I learn to apply Scripture to my life and dig deeper. Some of my favorite resources for digging deeper into passages of Scripture include the following: Precept Austin, Biblehub.com, and Biblestudytools.com.
2. Begin your day with the Lord.
If I don’t start my day with time in God’s Word, I struggle to make it happen.
God wants us to begin our days with him and then stay in step with him throughout the entire day.
How can we begin with God?
Prioritize time with God by reading your Bible. Read a few chapters or read a Psalm. Follow a reading plan or read and journal about a few verses.
Also, learn to rest with Jesus for just a few moments each morning. Close your eyes and imagine Jesus holding you. Mentally walk through your day and imagine he is walking with you. Ask him what he wants to show you.
Listen to worship music while you get ready for the day or drive to work.
Beginning well is important. The first steps of your day set the tone for the entire day.
3. Schedule time to invest in your relationship with God and don’t blur the lines.
I get into trouble in the mornings because Bible reading and devotional reading easily slip into writing and encouraging others. If I don’t commit to twenty minutes spent seeking God for God, I’m bound to end up working on an article or wandering away from the refreshment that comes from simply basking in his presence.
Stick with a given amount of time with God—even if it’s only five minutes—and don’t blur the lines. The Lord longs to connect with you.
I hope and pray these words encourage you to find a quiet place and seek God for yourself. I have a gift for you as well . . .
A Free Devotional to Help You Learn How to Build a Closer Relationship With God
Is it time to get the fire back in your walk with God? My free gift to you is my 10-day devotional, Fan the Flame. This devotional offers dozens of practical ways to connect with God. Click here, and I will send this devotional directly to your email inbox.
These Two Books are Free on Kindle Unlimited as eBooks and Also Available in Print:
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Calling All Moms and Daughters!
Additionally, my 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section. Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book! You can find this book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or buy a print copy for 11.99 right here.
