Think about your best friend. How did y’all become BFF’s? I’m guessing you spent a lot of time talking with one another, learning about each other, and doing fun things together. I bet it took some effort to become besties, too. Sure, some of it was effortless, but you still had to make time in your schedule to see them. Maybe every once in a while you’d drop something you were doing and rush to their side when they needed support. I’m sure you often did what it took to make sure they knew you cared, even when it wasn’t easy. I bet you still have to put in that kind of work to continue to build that relationship. And it’s worth it, because a good friendship is priceless.
The most priceless relationship of them all though, is our relationship with Christ.
A few months ago, my sister and I were having a nice 2 hour conversation over the phone (as we do), and she mentioned the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ. I’m so thankful that she reminded me of this, because as a long time Christian, sometimes it’s easy to forget that you need to cultivate and strengthen your relationship with God every day.
Have you ever found yourself becoming distant with Christ? Maybe you’ve continued to make an effort on those outward actions that tie you to Christ, like attending church, volunteering your time, or giving financially. However you’ve forgotten to make an effort on the inward actions that draw you closer to Christ, like talking to Him daily and sitting in the quiet to hear Him respond. Or maybe, you’ve just felt so busy and overwhelmed with life that you’ve fallen away from all of it. Or, perhaps you’ve never had a strong personal relationship with Christ in your life and you’re not even sure what that looks like.
So how do you (re)start cultivating that personal relationship with The Lord in your heart?
Step one: Know that God has already started His relationship with you.
God wants so badly to have a personal relationship with you. How do I know? Check out Matthew 18:12-14:
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”
Okay, cool, but like, what does a lost sheep have to do with your personal relationship with Christ? A lot actually. This parable is a metaphor for you and God. You’re the sheep and God is the shepherd. He will leave all the other sheep just to find you. He wants a personal relationship with you THAT MUCH.
Not only is God seeking out a relationship with you, He has also already started that relationship. In Psalm 139, David talks about how well God knows him. He says things like,
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.” (Psalm 139:1) “You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me.” (Psalm 139:3-4)
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16)
Doesn’t it feel good when your friend or significant other knows so much about you that they could order your favorite meal at any restaurant? Or they know exactly how you’ll react to certain situations before you even say a word or make a move? Well that’s God times infinity. He knows everyyyyyyyythinnggggggg about you. And he still loves you! That’s a true relationship if I’ve ever seen it.
Step two: Get real with God.
If you want a personal relationship with Christ, you gotta be real with Him. Nobody likes a fake friend. God doesn’t want the best version of you. He doesn’t want to talk to you only when you’re at your best. He wants the real you, just like any good friend would. So if you’ve got sins to confess to Him, do it. If you’ve got problems and struggles, let Him know. If you’re hurting or sad or angry or happy or excited, tell Him about that.
Step Three: Pray and talk to God daily.
It sucks when your friends forget to call or text you to catch up. Don’t do that to God. Don’t forget to catch up with Him. Tell Him about your life, thank Him for your blessings, pray for His goodness and grace to fill your life. Just talk to Him. We can and should pray to God at any time, no matter what we’re feeling.
“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.” – James 5:13
Step Four: Learn about God.
Imagine trying to start a friendship with someone, but you never get to know them. You never learn where they are from, you never learn what activities they enjoy, and you don’t hear their story. It would be almost impossible to form a meaningful and lasting relationship with anyone without getting to know who they are. It’s the same with God. If you’re going to have a personal relationship with Him, you have to understand who He is and what His story is all about. So get your hands on a bible and start learning about God, your friend.
Step five: REPEAT!
Our relationship with God is never fully cultivated. Just like your relationships with your friends, you family, or your boo thang, there is always more to learn about one another, more catching up to do, and more memories to make together. Sometimes, we may need to go back to step one and remember that God is also chasing a relationship with us, and knows us better than any other friend ever could. We may have to stop back to step two and get re-real with God by confessing our sins and telling Him how we’re feeling. And we should always, during every day of our lives, be at steps 3 and 4 to talk with God and learn more about Him.
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