You’ve likely heard the common Christian saying, “It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship.” While the exact truth of this statement is up for debate, the truth is that the entire story of the Bible is God reaching down to form relationships with us. He wants us to know Him personally and as a whole in the church.
As with any kind of relationship, ensuring your relationship with God is strong and healthy is important. God is already perfect and will therefore never cause problems in your relationship with Him. But as humans, we struggle with potential barriers in our personal relationship with Jesus. How can we make things right? Here are a few important factors of a good relationship with Christ that we should remember.
Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. What does this mean for you? Find out a few ways to build a relationship with the Lord here. #ORBC #Christianliving Share on X
Hearing from God
Talking to God through prayer is a familiar concept to most of us. But what about when God speaks to us? It’s almost never as simple as hearing a voice or just happening to open to the perfect Bible verse. God often reaches out through subtler methods. Maybe your friend said just what you needed to hear, your next decision became much simpler, or a movie you’re watching has a particularly powerful scene. God isn’t limited in how He speaks to you! He can use any means He so desires to get your attention.
Relating to God as Father
God plays many roles in His relationship with us, but one of the most fascinating is His position as Heavenly Father. The exact meaning of this is twofold. On the one hand, as our creator, God is our Father in the sense that He made all of us. But He also provides the same nurturing care and help that a father is supposed to give his children. We are sons and daughters of God, not in the same sense as Jesus, but in the sense of being adopted. We have the right to call the Creator of the universe our Father. What a privilege!
Becoming More Like Christ
The Bible tells us that once we are saved, Jesus makes us an entirely new creation. Of course, this doesn’t happen physically. Your mind and heart change their priorities. You will be more aware of your sin and more drawn to Jesus than ever before. And as you act on these new feelings, you’ll grow to reflect the holiness of Christ more and more. You’ll never be truly holy this side of Heaven–no one will. But your renewed mind will help you emulate Christ every day to both please God and help those around you.
Grow Deeper: The fruits of the Spirit stem from a heart transformed by Jesus. Your newfound desire to demonstrate patience, gentleness, self-control, and more is a result of your salvation.
Repairing Your Personal Relationship with God
Maybe you’re a new Christian trying to learn how to relate to God, or maybe you’re returning to the faith after a period of doubt. Whatever the case, know that Jesus is always ready to receive you. Your relationship with Him will never be perfect as long as you’re human, but He will never let you down.
Join the conversation to learn more about connecting to God.
