Having a personal relationship with God is a deeply inspiring and transformative experience that involves actively seeking, knowing Him intimately as a loving Father, Friend, Saviour and walking with Him in our daily life. In fact, having a personal relationship with God, is more than just a religious ritual but it is about developing a heart -to heart connection with God where trust, love and communication are dominant. A personal relationship with God begins the moment we realise our need for Him, admit that we are sinners and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior in faith. God, our heavenly Father, has always desired to be close to us, to have a relationship with us no wonder, before Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3), both Adam and Eve knew God on an intimate and personal level. They walked with Him in the garden and talked directly to Him but when they sinned, they got us separated and disconnected from God.
To have a personal relationship with God is not as hard as we might think, and there is no mysterious formula for doing so. The point is that those who have this personal relationship with God, intentionally include God in their daily lives. They pray to Him, read His word, and meditate on verses in an effort to get to know Him better. They pray for wisdom (James 1:5), which is the most valuable asset one could ever have. They take their needs to Him, believing and trusting that He will answer them as He promised in Matthew 7: 7’ ‘’Ask, you will receive, seek, you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you’’ What many people do not know or realise however, is that it doesn’t matter for how long you have been a Christian, what matters is your relationship with God. People develop a relationship with God through constant prayer, reading the word of God and understanding it. After all, we just celebrated the ‘’Word of God.’’, on the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time of Year C. We are told that the Word of God is Salvific and not burdensome and also that ‘’The Word of God is of God, lt is with God and lt is God’’. So, it would be difficult for us to love God, get to know God really well and have a relationship with Him, if we do not frequently hear the Word of God and read it.
We have to attentively read a part of the Gospel each day even if it is only for a few minutes. We need to communicate with God through prayer daily. Talk to Him, sharing our thoughts, struggles, gratitude and desires with God. Jesus prayed a lot while He was on earth, He was always retiring to a quiet place to pray and speak to His Father God and we are told that He enjoyed a very good relationship with His Father, God. So, prayer helps us to build intimacy and keeps our relationship with God strong. More importantly, prayer is not only about speaking but also about listening. Spending time meditating to hear God’s guidance and voice in your heart and also trusting in Him in faith
Honestly, a personal relationship with God begins by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and trusting in His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Remember that He says ‘’I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me’’ (John 14:6). Therefore, having a relationship with God requires us to trust in His plans for our life with all our hearts, even when we don’t fully understand them. ‘’Never rely on what you think, you know’’ (Proverbs 3:5-6). Obey and accept God’s Will for you. Worship Him with love and reverence and ‘’be thankful in all circumstances, this is what God wants from you in your life in union with Jesus Christ’’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Truly, having a personal relationship with God brings peace, joy, and purpose in one’s life. It’s a journey of growth, trust, and intimacy with the Creator who loves you deeply.
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I understand that God wants us to have a father child relationship with him rather than being afraid of him. As you have stated the best way to build a relationship with God is through prayer and reading his word. My question is how do I know I am hearing from God and not just another version of my own mind? Sometimes I pray it feels like I am just speaking to myself or to thin air. I know I am supposed to have faith that it is indeed God I am praying to but that begs the question how can I build my faith? I hear so many testimonies and watch so many sermons about how God moved mountains for people but a part of me fears that would not be the case for me as I compare my journey as a Christian to that of so many others and I feel I am not worthy of such miracles.
- There was a point you made in paragraph one about how Adam and Eves original sin have separated and disconnected us from God. I think it would be reassuring to have added that Jesus’s death and sacrifice on the cross has reversed that severing because now we are not viewed in Gods eyes are just mere sinners. As Christians who have given their lives to Christ we are now under Jesus’s covering as he has bridged that gap between humans and God and blessed us with the opportunity to have a loving relationship with God once again.
My dear Emmanuella, thank you for visiting my website. Your comments and questions are highly appreciated. Permit me to start with answering your question about knowing when God speaks to us; The bible says that God speaks to us in different ways( through he wind, quiet place ,etc. but l tell you that if God is speaking to you, the message will be consistent over time and confirmed in different ways, it could be in dreams, events, scriptures etc.
According to the scriptures, '' God’s Voice encourages that we trust in Him, however, His direction will require Faith and dependence on Him. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, never rely on what you think''(Proverbs 3:5-6). However, If you’re unsure, take time to pray, fast, and ask God for confirmation.
Building faith is not easy my dear. It takes a lot of prayers, fasting and believing in His promises. Matthew 7:7 says,'' Ask and you would be given, seek and you will find , knock and the door will be opened to you''. My dear be persistent in asking, seeking and knocking but in trust and you will receive what you are looking for. But if it doesn't come when you want it, know that it is not yet time for it and be patient.
Yes, l said that Adam and Eve sinned and that sin separated us from God but yes, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, wiped away our sins and made us children of God and this action has bridged that gap between Jesus and us, through our baptism. I hope l was able to answer your question and bring clarity to your thinking. Stay blessed.
Great article. Can you hear the voice of God in your life? Set a specific time each day and allot a specific amount of time to remain with God in the silence.
Come to the quiet. This is the simplest and the most natural way to establish God as the central object of your attention.
Come to the silence. God speaks in the silence. If you yearn to hear his voice, increase the amount of time you spend in silence each day, and wait patiently for him to speak to you. Allow God to speak to you through your needs, talents and desires. It is the most beautiful experience!
You are right Matthew and sometimes when you pray God may respond by giving you a deep sense of peace about a decision.