5 Ways to Build a Relationship with God (and Feel Fulfilled)

Written by By Cheryl Mortimer | Sep 10, 2024 1:00:00 PM

Would you say that your soul is deeply satisfied? Does your heart feel full and complete? Do you want to experience a more intimate connection with God and enjoy the abundant life He has for you?

God sent us His Son, Jesus, so we can be forgiven of our sins, reconciled to God, and made complete in Him. Receiving this gift takes place in a moment of time; but living daily in this reality can sometimes feel elusive. How can we experience closeness to God and the fullness of Christ in everyday life, amidst struggles, uncertainties, packed schedules, pursuits, losses, weariness, distractions, and even boredom?

There are several spiritual disciplines you can incorporate into your life that will help. This article discusses five and offers some suggestions on how to develop them.

Before we begin, it is important to understand a couple of things:

Do versus Done - Jesus' death and resurrection accomplished the work of forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God for all who believe and receive Jesus as Savior (Eph. 2:1-10; Jn. 17). There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation; everything has already been done for you by Jesus!
Practice versus Position - When you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you become a full-fledged adopted child of God (Eph. 1:3-14). Practicing these spiritual disciples does not change your position in Christ, but it does help you feel closer, hear better, and experience more peace.
Routines versus Intimate Connection - Approaching these practices like a check-off list will hinder your ability to interact deeply with God. I encourage you to ask God to help you slow down, quiet yourself, and hear His still, small voice (1 Ki. 19:11-13).

Ok, we're ready to get started. May you experience a deeper connection with God through these five practices.

1. Prayer

Prayer is a personal conversation with God. Because God is the Wonderful Counselor, talking with Him is therapeutic for your mind, heart, and soul. It is a springboard to transform your relationships, your habits, and your decision-making. In a recent study¹, it was found that nearly 75% of people generally agree that the best way to solve personal problems is to pray.

An important question to ask is, “how close to God do you feel when you pray?” There are a few characteristics of prayer that make it more impactful, including:

Approach: While talking with God is an essential part of prayer, listening to Him is, too. Vulnerability is also vital. Remembering that God already sees all of your flaws and that His love is unconditional will help you approach Him with openness and receive the loving feedback He has for you.
Content: A model of prayer I’ve found particularly helpful is A-C-T-S. Try it out!

A	Adoration – Acknowledging the character of God and expressing worship to Him
C	Confession – Naming your sins and asking God for forgiveness
T	Thanksgiving – Expressing gratitude to God for specific ways He is intervening or providing in your life, in the lives of those around you, or in the world.
S	Supplication – Asking God to supply for your needs and the needs of others, whether that be physical sustenance, wise decision-making, carrying out the greatest commandments of loving God and people, and fulfilling the great commission of sharing the gospel with the world.

Frequency: God is available all day every day, and He wants us to be in communication with Him throughout the day (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Any time He crosses your mind, interact with Him - even if it is as brief as saying, "I love you," or "thank you," or "help me." Doing this will help you grow closer and see Him as a constant presence in your life.

2. Bible Reading

Many times throughout the Bible, God instructs believers to read Scripture. One example is when Yahweh spoke directly to Joshua on this topic upon being charged with the responsibility of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. Joshua was advised by God to be strong and courageous, and told that the way to be strong and courageous is to meditate on the Word day and night (Jsh. 1:1-9).

Here are a few aspects of Bible reading that will help you get the most out of this essential spiritual practice.

Frequency: It is ideal to read God's Word daily because through it, you can connect more deeply with Him. Jesus is the Word who came in the flesh (Jn. 1:1-5); so, getting to know Jesus includes getting to know His Word.

Content: Many times, people try reading the Bible in the same way as most other books - beginning on page one with the intent of reading straight through to the end. While it is worthwhile to read the entire Bible, doing so as a novice often doesn't work well. It can be more meaningful to choose Scriptures that speak directly to your life's circumstances or what God is speaking to you about. Below is a chart including a handful of books of the Bible with their main idea.

Genesis & Exodus	God’s original design; destruction and journey to restoration
Ezra & Nehemiah	God helps His people rebuild after tragedy
Ruth & Esther	God brings about parts of His beautiful plan for His people through two women
Job & Psalms	God is present, sovereign, and good even through our darkest times
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John	The story of Jesus’ life and what it means to follow Him
Acts & Romans	Understanding the Holy Spirit, Jesus' message & how to live out the faith
Philippians, Hebrews, 1 Peter	Encouragement & strength for the journey of walking with the Lord
1 Corinthians, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John	What it means to love one another

There are also many types of reading plans that can help you get into the Bible. Here are just a few:

Interpretation: Oftentimes, understanding Scripture is challenging. Here are a few important steps you can take if you come across something in Scripture that causes you confusion about the meaning or about God:
- Use Scripture to understand Scripture. If you come across a passage that seems to contradict another passage, search the Scripture for others that address the topic.
- Ask knowledgable people to point you to some Scriptures and to trusted commentaries
- If you come across something is challenging your understanding of God's goodness or power, be honest with yourself and talk to God about it. Don't be afraid to tell Him - remember that He already knows what you're thinking, so not telling Him isn't hiding anything from Him...it's just keeping you in the darkness.

Application: Jas. 1:19-25 says that those who hear the Word and then do what it says will be blessed. The Bible is intended to be alive and active in your life (Heb. 4:12), guiding your steps (Ps. 119:105).

3. Community

Scripture tells us to regularly meet together (Heb. 10:24-25) because God designed us to be in community. Fellowshipping with other believers will help you build a stronger relationship with God. It will bring you encouragement and help, accountability, and inspiration, as well as opporturnities for learning, using your gifts to serve others, and teamwork in carrying out the mission of sharing the gospel with unbelievers.

People can only thrive when they are involved in authentic relationships. Study after study show that having strong social connections improves many aspects of life, including mental health, cardiovascular health, and the body's ability to fight disease.

You might be asking, "how do I build close relationships with other believers?"

This is an area of weakness for many people, myself included.

One of my favorite teachings on this topic is "The 4 Corners of Connection," by Dr. Henry Cloud, in which he explains four levels of relationships: no connection, bad connection, fake connection, and real connection. [Watch it taught here.]

Beyond the weekly church service time, many churches offer opportunities to gather together. These may include weekly Bible studies, prayer meetings, musical worship nights, community service projects, and social events. One thing I've observed is that churches tend to put a lot of structure around group gatherings. While these events are important, personally, I've found that building friendships is easier when I also spend time with my fellow churchgoers outside of church organized events.

Spend some time thinking of a couple of people you would like to get to know better, and then extend an invitation to do something you might both enjoy. It might feel awkward and you will probably get turned down from time to time; but the effort is always worth it.

To learn more about finding a community of like minded followers of Christ, read: 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Church for You

4. Sharing the Gospel

God wants everyone to know that He loves them; that's why Jesus gave Christians the Great Commission of sharing the gospel and making disciples throughout the world.

But did you know that your own relationship with God will grow when you tell people about Him? According to many studies, sharing what you know with others helps personalize and deepen experiential understanding. It is termed the "Protege Effect" or the "learning-by-teaching effect."²

Telling unbelievers how their sins can be forgiven and how they can be reconciled to God through Jesus' death and resurrection is one of the greatest privileges you have to make a difference in the lives of others. You are not alone if you find it difficult to tell people about Jesus. In fact, most Christians say they have trouble witnessing to unbelievers, reporting that three of the biggest reasons are fear, lacking opportunity, and feeling ill-equipped.

To learn more about how to share the gospel, check out this article: 10 Compelling Ways You Can Be Ready to Share Jesus With Unbelievers.

5. Giving

God tells us to give to the church and to those in need. Giving is an active way to put your trust in God and can be done even if you feel fearful, therefore, providing an opportunity to align your mind, heart, and choices. Trust is a key component of a healthy relationship so taking this step of faith will help foster feelings of closeness with God.

Giving can be in the form of money or service.

It is often easier to understand why God tells us to give to those in need than it is to understand why He tell us to give a tithe (10% of income) to the church. You might be asking why we're told to give so much.

The first answer is quite practical, actually. When God first directed the Hebrew people on how to structure their society, he gave one of the tribes (Levites) the responsibility of leading the people in following the Lord. Yahweh spoke through them, and gave them the role of bringing sacrifices on behalf of the people and leading them in organized times of worship. The people were told to bring a tithe of their resources so the priests would have their daily needs met. Today, our churches have expenses as well, like staff and building maintenance.

Another reason is to help Christians remain devoted to the Lord and, as previously stated, to practice trusting Him to meet our needs. This discipline protects us from dependence on ourselves, greed, selfishness, and being controlled by monetary pursuits. God loves you so much that He asks you to give.

Takeaway

In the busyness and pressures of life, it can be easy to feel distant from God. By praying, reading the Bible, spending time with other Christians, sharing the gospel with unbelievers, and giving of your time and money, you can actively incline your heart to God. Even if you feel far from God, you can rest assured that He will never leave or forsake you. Choose the practice you would most benefit from strengthening, ask God to help you connect personally with Him as you incorporate the discipline, and share with others how they can encourage you to deepen your relationship with God.

Do you want to learn more about the Bible, how to become a Christian, or how to grow in your faith? Check out these articles:

Are you looking for a church? Check out these articles:

Works Cited

1. Upenieks, Laura. “Unpacking the Relationship Between Prayer and Anxiety: A Consideration of Prayer Types and Expectations in the United States.” Journal of Religion & Health, vol. 62, no. 3, 2023, pp. 1810-1831. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9713100/. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

2. Jarrett, Christian. "Learning by teaching others is extremely effective." The British Psychological Society, 4 May 2018. https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/learning-teaching-others-extremely-effective. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

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