There are several ways that we can get closer to God but some are more practical than others. Here you're going to find 5 practical ways you can get closer to God today.
How can we get closer to God?
We can get closer to God in tons of different ways including prayer, worship, reading His word, fasting & meeting with Him at His house (church). There are many more ways to draw nearer to Him but these 5 are what this post will focus on.
1. Prayer
Prayer is one of the most effective ways to get closer to God. Prayer is simply speaking to God as He is our Heavenly Father & our closest friend. God wants to hear from us & it's important to pray in Jesus' name because that's how we have access to the Father.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Our prayers don't have to be fancy or sound nice, just speak to God from your heart & communicate how you're feeling to Him. He hears you, He sees you & He loves you! Talk to Him like he's one of your closest friends because He is!
2. Worship
Worship is how we give back to God. As the creator of the heavens and the earth, all things belong to Him. A few of the only things we can truly give back to Him are our thanks, our praise & our worship. He is so worthy of our worship that Jesus said to the Pharisees "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40).
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Not only are we pleasing God when we worship Him but our own spirits are uplifted and gratified through worship. Nothing else matters at that moment & a load is taken off of our shoulders. We can breathe easier after singing to and praising the one true Holy Living God.
3. Reading His word
Since prayer is us talking to God, reading His word is one way God talks back. When we ask God for things, we can often find His answers as we read His word.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Whenever we open up our Bibles to read it, we are quite literally touching & spending time with the Lord. I'd say you're pretty close to God at that point haha.
If you've never read the Bible before or are just starting out, I highly recommend starting in the New Testament with the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. You can also download the Bible app by Life.Church for both iPhone & Android. The versions I recommend for easier reading are NIV, AMP, ESV, NKJV & the GNT or NLT.
4. Fasting
Fasting is an effective way of getting closer to God and aside from all of its spiritual benefits, it has plenty of health benefits too! Use wisdom & speak with your doctor first - especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions - and please don't take it to the extreme.
Personally, when I fast, I'll allow myself to drink plenty of water & my normal amount of coffee/espresso throughout the day. Remember, the point of fasting is not to make yourself suffer and be hungry for the sake of saying you completed a fast. Rather it's about spending that time that you would normally spend eating and replacing it with Jesus in prayer, worship, and His word.
Throughout the day as my stomach grumbles, it serves as a reminder to thank the Lord for all that I have & helps me be more grateful. Each involuntary groan that it lets out leads me into a little 10-20 second prayer. Fasting also doesn't just have to be about food, for example, you can "fast" from your social media usage and replace that time with God.
5. Attending Church
When we attend Church, we are literally visiting the house of our Heavenly Father. It is a place full of like-minded believers who can help motivate and push us to live better, more Christ-like lives.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
It's important that we remember there is no such thing as a perfect church because the second we step into one, we make it imperfect. I can compare church to a gym, or to a hospital - when you walk into either one of them you have people who may be in really good shape, or in really rough shape, and everything in between.
Both have staff that are there to help, like doctors or personal trainers, and everyone who walks in is looking to get better and healthier. The same goes for the church - we have Pastors and leaders who want to help the members get in better spiritual shape. Even though everyone from the top to bottom may be flawed, we are all striving to improve and get closer to Jesus.
I understand that some may have gotten hurt while attending church in the past which led them to stop attending. Whatever the reason, I hope to provide encouragement by letting them know that even though a person may have hurt them, God will never fail us. He never leaves us or forsakes us & it's never too late to come back to Him.
Conclusion
These are just a few ways to get closer to God. There are many more that you can read about in other sections of this blog. I hope this post has blessed you and as always, what I have to say is nowhere near as important as what God has to say. So I'd like to leave you off with a word from Him.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Keep seeking Him & stay holy!
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