“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.”- Jeremiah 24:7

Do you know God?

I spent most of my childhood and teen years knowing about God, but I didn’t know Him at all. He seemed distant, aloof and uninterested. I knew He was holy and to be revered, but I didn’t understand how revering Him would impact me. My Grandma taught me to be quiet in the vestibule and sit still for everyone around me while at her little Lutheran church. I didn’t know if that was a God thing or a Grandma thing. We didn’t attend often, so church always felt a little stiff and formal to me. We sang songs with lots of verses, the Pastor wore and robe and stood behind the pulpit. Everyone was polite and quiet, but there was no awe for me. I recognized some stories from the Bible as learned on the flannel graph in Sunday School. I knew Easter was a big deal because we got up early for Sunrise service and I got wear a new dress and head to my Grandmas with all my cousins.

My relationship with God changed when I was 20 years old and surrendered my heart to Him. Church became a place of joy and peace. I longed to learn about God. The exuberant worship of God made me feel free. I read the Word and grew in knowledge of Him. I began to talk to Him, like a friend and experience Him on a personal level. I didn’t just know about Him, I actually learned to know Him. I studied His character, I learned His many different names. I read the Biblical stories so I could understand who He was and how He related to His children. I developed the habit of spending time with Him and talking to Him about my feelings, my frustrations, my hopes and my fears. I wanted to please Him and know Him more.

Often when we first meet God, we filter our understanding of Him through the lens of our life experience. If our life was difficult, we often have the wrong view of God. We make assumptions about God which aren’t true. The only way to overcome that is to seek God. Ask Him to reveal His true character to you and spend time in the Word so you know who God is. It is no small feat and the Enemies greatest tactic is to make you not see God in His truest form. The Enemy will lie to you about God every time. Unless you know the truth about who God is through scripture, you have no way to refute the lies.

Steps to connect with God

• God desires a relationship with you. One where honesty, trust, love and compassion flows. It’s similar to what you share with your best friend. God does not desire distance. He will always initiate relationship with us. “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

• Knowing God begins with time set apart for Him. We can’t know God by only being with Him once a week on a Sunday for 90 minutes. Like all relationships, time invested together will reap the most benefit. What are you doing in your daily routine to make room to be with God?

• God reveals Himself through the Bible. If you are Biblically illiterate then you will have a hard time knowing God. His character is revealed in the stories. When you read it, look for clues of who God is. They are endless. Underline them and read them often so you can know Him.

  Do you take time each day reading the Word?

• Have you developed a conversational style with God, where you can talk about what’s on your heart? He already knows what we’re thinking and going to say, but He longs to hear from us through prayer. Have you learned to communicate with God with times of speaking and moments of listening. If we aren’t silent before Him, how can He speak to us?

Intimacy with God is where the magic happens. God longs to reveal Himself to you. His heart is moved with compassion. He wants to teach, train, disciple, convict, correct, encourage, love, and guide. He can only do these things if we allow Him to come close.

When we understand the greatness of our God, then we can trust Him. He is faithful, wise, all-powerful, ever-present, helper, guide, steady, full of love.

He is Redeemer, Healer, Re-newer, Baptizer, Truth, Justice, Good, Protector, Sustain-er, Savior, Lord and King. He can only reveal Himself as you move closer to Him. What are you doing today to know God more?

Dear God, I don’t want to just know about You, I want to know You. I want to know Your character and Your ways. I want to know Your heart for me and Your will for my life. Help me cultivate intimacy with You. Help me make time with You a priority and time in your Word so You can reveal Yourself to me. I thank You that though You are great, awesome and mighty, You are also the God who draws near and wants a relationship with me. Open my eyes to see Your goodness. Amen.

Struggling to Trust God?

Maybe this will help.

If you’re having trouble trusting God, maybe this free guide will help you sort through the reasons, and give you some steps to have the courage to trust. Just click on the image and leave your name and email so I know where to send it.