25 Ways to Connect with God

The crackling sound of coffee is distant, yet welcoming, like the extended arms of the father to the prodigal son. I wake up, unwilling to completely abandon the sweet slumber I had just been enjoying, yet the body is weak but the spirit is willing. I startle at the first sight of light as I flick on the switch in the kitchen, gravitating towards the shelf with all the mugs. My mug is filled almost to the top and finished with a splash of milk. I wander towards my living room, plug in my Christmas tree lights, and begin.

Recently I’ve been praying through a list I’ve compiled – a list with specific areas of growth in my own heart, a list with specific people I know only God can work miracles with. I pray for my job, for my family, for my friends and their relationships, and for my sweet husband.

I crack open my Bible and I usually turn to the page I last left off with. Recently I’ve been reading the book of John. I’m using a Bible that I have yet to underline very much in and I find it so thrilling to unearth new and amazing scriptures within God’s Word -- it truly is living and active! Sometimes instead of reading through a book, I’ll focus on a topic instead. I’ve been using my Thompson-Chain Reference Bible a lot, which helps me to dig through the scriptures in ways I’ve never done before!

My time with Jesus is precious, sacred, beautiful, treasured.

But I’m not always eager to get time with Jesus. Sometimes my bed seems more important and too enticing, and I find that my mornings end up being rushed with getting showered, dressed, re-dressed, and fed (and I don’t even have children yet—yikes!) My day becomes a blur of preschoolers, homework, meal prepping, grocery shopping, church events, errands, friends….and the list goes on and on. Some days I’ll admit I don’t even find myself running around all that much, but instead of picking up my Bible to feed my soul, I pick up my phone and scroll.

How is your precious time with God going? Are you feeding your faith with the Word, or are you snacking on social media? Are you filling up with the living water that Jesus serves (John 4:14), or are you drinking whatever sips you can get from the world?

I’m asking myself these questions as I write and I can see clearly how my faith is often made weak by the limited time I spend seeking the only One who can truly fill me up. I try to fill myself up with my own strength or with the distractions of this world, leaving me empty and starving for more.

Thankfully, the grace of God means I can persevere. I am not defined by my laziness, by my pride, nor by my own image of self-worth based on the world. I am able to press the refresh button every day, for his compassion and faithfulness is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

So how can we start treasuring our times with God? There are lots of tips and tricks I have used over various phases of my life. I’ve compiled a list of ideas to spark your relationship with God today in hopes that you will be able to connect with God’s love in new and exciting ways, and that you will find yourself fed and refreshed by His Word. Here:

1. Set your alarm for before you need to get up so you can spend precious time with God!

2. Set your coffee maker the night before, so the sweet smell will entice you to get up.

3. If you don’t like coffee, try to prepare something you do enjoy- personally I’m a sucker for hot drinks or sweet treats. My time with God always feels like a cute date when I have something to sip or snack on simultaneously!

4. Create sweet traditions with God. Have your quiet times in the same place each day, use a soft blanket to warm you up, light a candle, go for a drive- whatever it takes to make a special memory with Him!

5. Have a plan for what to read. Use a plan on your favorite Bible App or decide the night before what book/topic you’re going to read!

6. Pray to have your eyes opened to God’s Word. Sometimes I’ll pray Psalm 119:18 before I open my Bible: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

7. Study out a topic that interests you. You can use a study Bible or the search function of a Bible app. Some of my favorite topics to study out are rest, Sabbath, grace, and promises from God.

8. Read a book you’ve never read before – or reread one you haven’t looked at in a while. Some of my favorites are Nehemiah, Ruth, Psalms, Isaiah, and all 4 Gospels!

9. I love to read the Old Testament and search for references for Jesus! When you find Jesus in the Old Testament, write it down!

10. I also love to read the New Testament and focus on characteristics of Jesus- his actions, reactions, attitudes, conversations, miracles!

11. Underline the things that stand out to you while you’re reading! Write notes, either in the margins or in a journal nearby!

12. Look up words you are unsure about. The Bible is full of “religious” words that I sometimes need to seek to understand. When I take the time to look up definitions, I am able to better understand what I am reading and what God is saying to me!

13. Ask questions. Write down unanswered questions or scriptures you find confusing. Ask spiritual people in your life and do your own research to get clarification! It’s okay to have questions about God, the Bible, etc.!

14. Meditate and memorize! Even if you read and focus on one scripture a day, it can be more than enough to fill you and feed you. I have memorized many scriptures over the years and they have helped me tremendously during times of need.

15. Write down your favorite scriptures and place them in and around your life- on your fridge, on your mirror, on your phone’s wallpaper!

16. Read a spiritual book. It can be so helpful to read someone else’s perspective on God’s Word. I am personally a fan of any book by Francine Rivers because she writes Biblical fiction by taking stories in the Bible and turning them into novels!

17. Praise God through prayer, song, worship. Praise is acknowledging God for who He is, not just for what He’s done for you.

18. Make a list of 26 things to praise God for by identifying a characteristic of His for every letter in the alphabet.

19. Confess your sins to God. Be humble before Him.

20. Draw a heart in your journal and jot down all of your worries, sins, and fears. Offer up your heart to God.

21. Ask God for what’s on your heart. As I mentioned before, I have an ongoing list of people I’m praying for and things I want for my own life.

22. Thank God for what He’s given you. Gratitude is powerful!

23. Keep a log of answered prayers. Remembering God’s miracles will help you to stay strong when you’re weak.

24. Involve other people in your walk. Pray with one another, pray for one another, talk about what you’re reading! God gave us one another for a reason!

25. Just do it! Even if you don’t feel like it, even if you’re not feeling connected, just open your Bible, cry out to God. Seeking God first and foremost is always worth the early mornings, the late night prayers, the sleepy sacrifices. Value your time with Him. Honor your time. Treasure it.

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About the author: Rebecca Storozuk

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