Like with any relationship - if you want it to be healthy and grow and deepen - you need to spend time with that person.
So- why is it so hard to do with this God?
1. We can't see Him, so it's easy to forget about Him or just push Him off until "later"
2. Since God is kind and understanding - He's ok - besides, He's busy running the world - Right? He doesn't really need or want to spend time me anyway.
3. Our view of a relationship with Him is skewed by our human relationships
4. We don't see Him as a personal loving God who desires a living and real relationship with us
5. He is not a priority
6. Reading the Bible is scary and feels daunting
So - how can we change our thoughts about some of these things?
Though we can't see Him physically, we do see His creation - let that be a daily reminder to sit and be still with Him and open up His word for a few brief moments at least - let His creation slow you down and captivate your thoughts and draw your heart and mind to Him: to reflect and ponder on His goodness and love, to allow the Spirit of God remind you what your soul longs for - a relationship with God - and sit with Jesus and His word and let Him speak to you from His word and through prayer.
"Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20)
2. I can sum up 2, 3, and 4, with this: We don't really understand that God is relational - not religion.
Have you ever really thought about that? The reason we long for safe, trustworthy, and loving relationships is because we were created in the image of a relational God. Because God exists in a Triune Relationship : God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, He has invited us into that relationship with them. Doesn't that just blow your mind! That the God of the universe invites you in
I don’t know what your relationships have been like, but I do know that whatever they are like, will never compare to the relationship Jesus wants to have with us. The love that Our Father has for us far outweighs the love our parents, friends, or whom ever we have surrounding us may or may not have shown us.
"Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:13-15
3. My day fills up pretty quick with all sorts of fun activities, chores and work. Being a wife of a farmer and a mother of three keeps me on the constant go with all their needs and activities. The ministry God has given to me with students and parents keeps my schedule pretty full as well, and then there is the "daily do list," I try to get at everyday. As you know this only touches the surface of all we face everyday - this doesn't include the emotional, physical wear this has on our bodies. So, obviously, God gets put on the back burner.
There all sorts of tip out there on the internet for you to "help you make Him a priority," and they are all good.
Giving God the first part of your day, talking to God first with every decision you need to make, getting involved in a solid bible believing church, being intentional in keeping Him first in your relationships, and so many more good suggestions. Some of us need accountability - having someone close to us asking us how our time with God is going - others may not. Some need to schedule time with God on their calendars daily, others need to be flexible with their time God.
There is no right way - there is only the best way that works for you to be with God - Daily.
When we allow ourselves to get too busy, we don’t take the time to slow down and remember that God desires a relationship with us for a reason. God loves us and wants us to spend time us each day to build our relationship with Him. He truly wants to know about our failures and our victories, our strengths and our weaknesses, and our joys and disappointments. When we fail to make Him daily, priority we get caught up with the distraction of this life and it drains us and we also can get so caught up in pleasing other people- that we empty ourselves.
Spending time with God fills us, strengthens us in areas we are struggling in, brings peace to our minds, calms and renews our weary bodies, and most importantly - you get God - all of Him.
This verse has been my life verse prayer for years for so many :
"I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-16
4. Your purpose in spending time with God is not to become a scholar or the next best Theologian - it is to know Him and grow your relationship with Him, and let Him fill you up by encouraging you, loving you, growing you in wisdom and knowledge and truth. This world is filled with so many confusing things these days - we need God's truth and wisdom now more than ever. The more we understand our time with God is not a thing to check off our "to do list," but an actual life giving relationship, this will be the first step in finding the truest relationship you have been searching for - Blessings
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing..." John 15
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