In the fabric of human existence, the quest for a deeper connection exists way beyond what we see. For many, the journey involves cultivating a personal relationship with God.
God is a God of relationship and He delights in knowing you as much as you know Him. John 15:15 says, “I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
As long as you know God, you are no longer a servant, but His friend. He calls you His child! So, what does it take to nurture your relationship with God?
- Walk In Love– “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV). Christ walked in Love and so we are called to do the same and as long as we walk in Love, we enjoy God and His presence and that means a deeper relationship with Him. Matthew 22:37, Jesus speaking says, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Love binds everything together!
- Upright Living– There is no relationship between light and darkness. If you are living in sin, I am sorry to say, that repels the Holy Spirit and God is also not pleased with that. Sin separates from the love of God. It strains our relationship with Him! But, there is hope. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV). Confess your sins one to another! 1 John 1:7-9 says, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Walking uprightly cements fellowship with one another and boosts our relationship with God.
- Prayer– This is a big deal because you cannot say you are growing or developing your relationship with your friend without communication. To learn the heart of God and hear His voice, you need to intentionally set time aside to talk to Him through prayer and express yourself freely without fear of being judged. Matthew 21:22 says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” God loves you so much and He wants to hear from you!
- Bible study- The word of God, the Bible, is God’s heart expressed in writing to His children! Joshua 1;8 says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.“
- Have faith– If you have faith in God, you will trust that even in uncertain times, He is still there vouching for you! Present and ready to lead you through the season. Mark 11:22-25 says, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Nurturing your personal relationship with God is a mind-blowing transformative journey that involves:
- Love
- Faith and
- Spiritual commitment/ dedication
Having a deep connection with God requires you to have a sincere and open heart, a willingness to seek and understand spiritual truths, and a commitment to live out the principles of love and compassion in daily life.
