In order to have a great relationship with God, you need to spend time with Him every day! Just like with your human relationships, the purpose of spending time with God is to get to know and understand Him better.
“I just want to make a difference!” How many times have you heard that … from others and also from yourself? Most people want to know that their lives are significant, that they matter, that they are important. Each one of our contributions to the world around us is different, but each one matters! For the Christian, a life of true significance begins with a close, personal relationship with God.
Everything we are and everything we do is grounded in the relationship that we have with our heavenly Father. The more time that we spend with God, the more we will know and understand His plan for our life. Consistency is critical. Just as plants grow well with daily sunlight and water, we too will grow well when we spend time daily in God’s Word. Plants don’t do well with gallons of water one day and then no water for an entire week. That is how it works for us in our relationship with God as well.
We can gain a lot by spending a lot of time in God’s Word … but then if we don’t spend any time with God for a week, we may find ourselves “wilting.” The bottom line is that in order to have a great relationship with God, we need to spend time with Him every day! Just like with our human relationships, the purpose of spending time with God is to get to know and understand Him better.
Q. When are you currently spending time with God? And how often?
“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” —John 15:9–10
Q. What does it mean to you to remain in Jesus’ love?
We’ve already spent a lot of time talking about the importance of hearing, reading, studying, meditating on, and memorizing God’s Word. We also discussed how taking time to pray makes a huge difference in our lives. So by now, you should be spending at least some time with God. Hopefully this is enjoyable for you! It may not always be easy, but as you develop a daily discipline of spending time with God, you will find yourself not only growing closer to Him, but also experiencing His power in new ways.
Q. When you do spend time with God, what difference does it make in your life?
When you spend time with God every day you will be more in tune with what He wants for your life. You will be able to get your mind off the world and worries around you and focus on His faithfulness to you. You will find it easier to worship Him and to experience His great love and power.
Set reasonable goals for your time with God so that you can maintain spending time with Him every day. Maybe it’s only 15 minutes in the morning, or 20 minutes at lunch time. If you don’t have more time than that, don’t set a goal for 30 or 40 minutes … you will become discouraged and frustrated. Ask God to give you the desire and discipline to take that time with Him every day. Keep it simple. The goal of your time with God is to try to grow closer to Him. It’s not to check off your list. Don’t add extra burdens to this focus. “I have to make at least 15 observations.” “I have to write at least 5 pages in my journal.” “I have to pray for at least 45 minutes.” The goal is to spend time with God and to grow closer to Him.
Q. What do you most enjoy about your time spent with God?
Q. What are the things that get in the way of you spending time with God every day?
Q. What can you do to make time for God?
Don’t be disappointed when progress in your Christian life doesn’t happen as quickly as you would like it to. Growing as a Christian is a lifelong process! God is patient, and He will never take His love away from you. Remember, the Holy Spirit will empower you when you choose to obey Him.
Your daily time with God is time to look to Him and listen to Him as He speaks to you through His Word. Plan a specific time and place the night before. Have your journal that you are using for Bible study and prayer ready. You don’t necessarily have to write something every day. There are no rules or pressure. Simply enjoy His presence and wait for His direction.
When we spend time with God every day, we are able to experience His power. We are able to find His strength. When you take time out of your day to specifically spend time with God, you are intentionally acknowledging His presence in your life.
Ephesians 3:20 promises: “Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think.”
Isaiah 40:31 says: “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.”
God gives you this great promise that you can make yours every single day: “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but of power and love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7)
When we spend time with God every day, we are reminded of who He is and His great love for us. God is with you every moment of every day and night! When you finish your specific time with Him, ask the Lord to come with you wherever you are going next. Make it a definite invitation. “Lord, I’m going to go to work now. Would you please come with me?” Of course, He is going to be with you, but this will remind you of His very real presence.
Application
Pick a time that will work for you to spend time with God, and stick to it for the next week. Record the ways God directs and leads you during this time.