3 Practical Ways to Cultivate a Deeper Relationship With God
White light breaks through smoky billows of fog. Climbing out of bed, I admire the scene out the window and ask God to help me be more aware of his presence throughout the upcoming day. I’ve been seeking a deeper relationship with God over the past few months.
I know that going deeper includes becoming more aware of what he is doing around me. Sadly, I tend to overlook his presence as I push through my days on autopilot.
This is not how I want to live.
I’m tired of rushing through my moments, wishing away long days, and living in survival mode.
How to Have a Deeper Relationship With God
Maybe you long for a deeper relationship with God, too.
You want to sense his presence and experience his guidance. Maybe you’d like more peace and joy in your life.
How do we go deeper with him?
Cultivating a Deeper Relationship With God
I asked these hard questions recently, and I sensed God leading me into his Word.
As I read through the Gospel of Matthew, the words seemed to come alive. I began compiling a list of practical ways to go deeper with God.
Today, I’m sharing three application activities from my study. I invite you to read these words and try these applications for yourself. I pray these activities will lead you into a deeper relationship with God.
1. At the end of each day, list three places you saw God.
Matthew 1:23 reads, “And they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us.”
Jesus came to live and dwell among us, and when he returned to heaven, he left the deposit of his Spirit. The Spirit of the Living God dwells among us. We’re not talking about a shadowy phantom or a mist over murky waters. The Living God is in our midst.
God is present in your hard conversations, your long days of living in the difficult parts of your calling, and your isolated seasons of grief.
He shows himself in gentle sunrises, cardinals at the feeder, welcoming smiles from strangers, and blog posts from women who live hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from your quiet little corner of the world.
Here’s your challenge: For the next seven days, at the end of each day, write down three places where you saw God in your day. You might be surprised by the way this shift helps you step into the meaning you crave.
2. For the next week, pick a daily task and pair it with worship.
Remember the Magi?
Also known as the three wise men, these star-gazing intellectuals are famous for chasing down baby Jesus by following signs in the sky.
Their response to the young Messiah intrigues me: The first thing the Magi did when they encountered Jesus was worship him.
All too often, I miss Immanuel (God with me in the ordinary) because I don’t have a worshipful heart. I tend to grumble and embrace the emotional rewards of playing the hard-working victim.
Convicted of this selfish mindset, I decided to pick one task and complete it all week with a worshipful heart. My task was the daily chore of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It’s a task through which I often hurry.
Much to my surprise, my attitude changed when I paired this task with worship. I put a different clip on the loaf of bread to remind me of my commitment, and when I saw that colorful clothespin, something inside me shifted.
I made sandwiches with a grateful, worshipful heart instead of a grumbling heart.
What task could you pair with worship this week? You don’t have to literally listen to worship music while you complete this task (although, you could!). Rather, aim to slowly and mindfully complete the task, remaining aware of God’s goodness and his presence with you. The King of Kings awaits this encounter with you.
3. For a deeper relationship with God, regularly ask him to search your heart.
How often do you practice the discipline of confessing your sins to God? Jesus models this kind of confession as he prays the famous words of Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our sins.”
If we want transformation in our lives, we need God’s help to show us where we have fallen short. Without condemnation, he will gently show us where we have sinned and fallen short.
As a part of my journey, I spent a week confessing my sins to God at the end of each day. If you want a deeper relationship with God, spend a week confessing your sins to God at the of each day.
My prayers of confession often include the words of King David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:13-14).
After praying these words, pause to notice what thoughts come to mind.
Do you recall a misspoken word to a friend or loved one from some point in your day? An attitude that was filled with bitterness, envy, or ingratitude? A moment when you snapped at your kids or your husband? A pattern of turning to something other than God for comfort? Pause to confess this sin and ask God to help you turn away from your sin and turn to him instead.
For a Deeper Relationship With God, Remember This:
Some of us are frustrated by what feels like a lack of meaning in our lives. Our lives feel too small.
I invite you to consider that this small and quiet season might be God’s plan for shaping your heart, preparing you for what is next, and humbling you as you take on the form of a servant.
After all, the greatest Man who ever walked the earth was also the most humble servant. Keep doing the small thing for as long as God calls you to do it. He is at work in quiet places. #servingGod #humility #encounteringGod Share on X
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
Is it time to get the fire back in your walk with God? My free gift to you is my 10-day online 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.
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