4 Ways to Grow Spiritually and Connect With God
We were in the middle of a full summer schedule when I read these words from late missionary Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” Jim’s words prompted me to ask hard questions about living present in my moments as I sought ways to grow spiritually.
Ways to Grow Spiritually and Connect With God
Maybe you can relate.
You want to grow spiritually, but you’re pulled in dozens of different directions.
Most days, you hurry from one task to the next with little space for slowing down to connect with God.
The morning I read Jim’s words, I decided to move a rocking chair to the window overlooking the yard. I knew I was failing to be fully present to my kids, my days, and my life. I had a deep sense that one of the key ways to grow spiritually was to carve out space for being more fully present in my moments.
Mostly, I wanted to become more aware of God’s presence with me throughout my everyday moments.
4 Ways to Grow Spiritually
I pulled the rocking chair to the window because I needed to force myself to be still. I needed a few short minutes of silence and solitude each morning. A few minutes away from technology. A few minutes spent gazing into God’s created world.
Most of us could use a few tools to help us live less hurried lives, more present lives. We could use insight on how to make time to go slower and enjoy our days. Perhaps these simple steps might enable us to step into the spiritual growth we crave.
Here are just a few tips to help you live out the calling to “be all there” and grow spiritually in the process.
1. Begin your mornings with stillness.
Commit to five minutes of silence and stillness each morning. Use this time to do one thing: Rest in God’s presence as you sit in the awareness of his love for you.
If possible, turn away from the tasks and messes that tempt you to make to-do lists and move from your spot. Sit by a window and watch the heavens declare the glory of God or light a candle and watch it flicker. This practice will force you out of your frenzied pace and set a slower, more intentional, and focused pace for your whole day.
By reminding yourself of God’s love for you during this time, you will also anchor yourself in your unchanging identity as his child. Understanding your identity as God’s dearly loved child holds the power to transform every area of your life.
2. Reset with a weekly day to rest and play.
God wants the Sabbath to be a gift for you. I grew up with a misunderstanding of God’s good intentions for this day of rest. In her memoir, Stranger in the Midst, Nan Fink writes these words about the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat:
“Shabbat is like nothing else. Time as we know it does not exist for these twenty-four hours, and the worries of the week soon fall away. A feeling of joy appears. The smallest object, a leaf or a spoon, shimmers in a soft light, and the heart opens. Shabbat is a meditation of unbelievable beauty.”
I want to fall in love with the Sabbath like this, and I believe Nan Fink’s words are relevant to us today. Do you look forward to a day of rest? Have you made it a priority to carve out a day for rest and play?
It doesn’t have to be Sunday, and if you can’t find a full day, find a half-day.
Use this time to do something you love. Step away from the regular demands of life and enjoy the gifts of God. We take a day of rest to learn to carry this mentality of rest into the remainder of our lives, learning to rest in the Lord, even as we work throughout the week. Learning to rest in God’s presence is essential for spiritual growth.
3. Talk to God throughout your days.
One of the most powerful ways to grow spiritually is to talk to God as you would talk to a friend. Before you get out of bed in the morning, tell him hello. Thank him for a gift in your life.
Talk to him as you make breakfast and get ready for the day.
Talk to him about your worries, hopes, and cares as you drive down the road.
Continue talking to him all day. He will guide you and help you live with intention and focus. This is a key for spiritual growth.
4. Prioritize unhurried Bible reading.
God uses his written Word to renew our minds.
Do you truly want to find ways to grow spiritually? Begin with the Bible. Spend time reading your Bible daily, and you will begin to grow with God.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start by slowly reading one Psalm per day. Read slowly. Soak in the words. Don’t rush through this as you aim to hurry to the next task of the day. God wants to use this time to draw you deeper into his love. He already knows everything about you.
Reading your Bible helps you know him more deeply. This is a key for spiritual growth.
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It is possible to live present to our days and the people God places in our paths. I remind myself of this truth as the hands of the poplar wave from beyond the deck, and I would do well to slow my pace and follow their gentle lead.
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