The Intimacy of Christ - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - April 8, 2025
"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10-11 (NLT)
I met Jesus when I was eight years old. Unlike miraculous transformation stories, my greatest testimonies wouldn't come until much later in life. Knowing Jesus was fun, exhilarating, and passionate. I was obsessed with Vacation Bible School, singing on the worship team, and helping my mom teach Sunday School. I prayed, and my prayers were always answered. But by the time I reached high school, I learned that knowing Christ intimately didn't just include life's highlight reels but behind-the-scenes road construction, too.
I'm embarrassed to write this, but following Jesus became less about love and more about laws. You'd be shocked to know that while I loved the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength (and still do), I didn't realize cultivating intimacy with my Creator required more than saying: "I love Jesus." My faith wasn't shallow, but it was maturing. Over time, I learned the importance of reading my Bible and soaking in God's Word. I learned that if I wanted to experience closeness with Jesus, I couldn't do all the talking—I also needed to listen. I learned how to meditate and hear His voice. I learned how to live in freedom and not bondage. But ultimately, I learned that if I wanted to know Christ fully, I had to be willing to go all in.
As a little girl, "going all in" was easy and simple. I was head over heels in love with Jesus. But when the problems and struggles of this life started to seep in, I started to see faith in a new light. My relationship with Jesus wasn't just something fun; it was transformative. It was less about doing and more about being. My relationship with Jesus wasn't just a part of my life, it was the whole of it. My relationship with Jesus wasn't optional, but a necessary lifeline. And it still is.
Yet, the older I grow, the more appreciation I have for knowing Jesus intimately in my sufferings. And I'm convinced that because of my pain and sorrow, I know Him greater than I once did. At first glance, suffering and pain are unattractive. No one signs up for life thinking, "I can't wait to suffer for Christ and share in His death." But Paul's words in Philippians 3 encourage us to see our hardships in light of the gospel.
Paul isn't saying to dismiss or minimize your pain. I'm a firm believer that Jesus sees me and cares about my agony. But Paul is saying that we have an opportunity to allow these sufferings to draw us closer to the Lord. There is a deep intimacy that can only be found between those who know what it's like to suffer. For if I were never hungry, would I know what it's like to be full? If I were never poor, would I know what it's like to be rich? If I were never hurting, would I know what it's like to be healed?
Philippians 4:11-13 says it this way: "I am telling you this, but not because I need something. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens. I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do" (ERV).
Friend, if you're wanting to develop deeper intimacy with Jesus today, might I encourage you to share what's on your heart. Don't hold back your emotions, pain, or sorrow, but express them in affirmation of who you know He is, despite them. Like David, pour out your concerns knowing that the Lord hears your cries and will answer you. And don't be surprised if you grow closer to Him in the process.
Let's pray:
Dear Jesus, we want to experience you in the fullness of your power. Through your life, death, and resurrection, help us to grow in intimacy with you. Whether we're thriving or learning to survive, remind us that you see us, love us, and care about us. Help us to know what it means to have a deeply personal and intimate relationship with you. And if we suffer in that process, help us look to you. We love, praise, and thank you, Lord. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/BrunoCervera
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