How do you think God sees you today?
If we could peel back the veil for a minute and actually see Him, how do you think God is looking at you right now?
Is He frowning? Smiling? Sighing with exasperation? Covering His eyes? Waving to you?
I accepted Christ when I was five years old. I knew God loved me and sent His Son to die for my sin and take me to heaven with Him someday. But somewhere along the way, whether through sermons or books or spiritual mentors, I picked up the idea that God is happiest when believers prove their love and loyalty to Him.
After all, He did so much to rescue us, shouldn’t we give back to Him— or at least try to show we were worth it? I never actually used those words. But that’s how I lived my life.
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I loved God and was convinced that serving Him was the best way to show it.
Plus, I thought my tireless service made Him happier with me. So I took a full-time job in the ministry, served non-stop at church, shared the gospel as often as possible, and tried to love people like He commands.
If you’d asked me how God saw me in the middle of my serve-hard days I would’ve said, “Hmmm, I know He’s looking down from heaven, watching things. I think He has a pensive look on His face. But some days He probably crosses His arms and shakes His head a little because even when I work hard and try to love well, eventually I mess up.” And I knew that must disappoint Him deeply.
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Then one day, God turned my Christianity upside down through the power of His grace.
He began to show me that the grace that offers us salvation is the grace that gives us life—right here, right now. Because of Jesus and what He has done, you and I have nothing left to prove—to God or to anyone else!
We stand secure in our position in Christ. And wonder of wonders, we now have full access to our heavenly Father.
As God rewrote my story of how to live and serve, He began to overhaul our relationship too. Where I used to see Him as mildly disapproving and often disappointed, I discovered He is head-over-heels for me, and completely for me every moment! This opened up a brand-new world of intimacy and interaction between the two of us.
As a believer, you’ve been reconciled and adopted into God’s family, too.
The best part is that true intimacy is now possible with your precious heavenly Father, every single day.
And just like in our earthly relationships, close relationship with God is something we can cultivate. Here are five simple ways to pursue more intimacy with God today:
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1. Live Loved
God looked down at the world, knowing you would be part of it, and said, “I want you to know how much I love you.” So He sent Jesus—the biggest love display you and I will ever experience.
But God’s amazing, ineffable love didn’t stop there. He continues to show His love every single day! Love gifts surround us daily. We just need wide open eyes to see them.
One way to pursue intimacy with God today is to take notice of His love gifts. Look around you: where do you see a little blessing? A provision? An answered prayer? A small, unexpected surprise that has God’s fingerprints all over it? Keep your eyes wide open for where God is lavishing love on you today.
Then thank Him. Let Him know you see His love gifts and recognize they’re from Him! As you become more and more familiar with how God displays His love for you, your relationship with Him will grow and deepen.
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2. Personalize Scripture
The Bible has often been called “God’s Love Letter” to us. And so it is! Another way to grow closer to God is by taking His words to heart. Yes, hiding Scripture away in your heart, but also watching God’s word come alive for you personally.
As you read your Bible, listen for the Holy Spirit to nudge your heart about a certain verse or passage—one meant for you as a child of God. Then rewrite the verse(s) in your journal using your name in place of any second person pronouns.
For example, personalizing 1 John 3:1 would look something like this:
“See what great love the Father has lavished on [your first name], that [your first name]should be called a child of God! And that is what [your first name]is!" (1 John 3:1)
After you’ve filled in your name, read the passage out loud and meditate on the depth of meaning. Hearing your own name in Scripture is precious, truly brings the Word alive, and can invigorate your relationship with God.
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3. Journal
For a relationship to be genuine, it has to go both ways. So why not write God a love letter back?
Set aside some time, and find a quiet place to journal. Begin by meditating on the Word or an aspect of God’s character; then write a letter or simple prayer back to Him in your journal.
You don’t need any fancy words or thoughts. Simply pour out your heart. Thank Him for who He is. Explore His wonderful qualities. Retell a story of a time you personally saw Him do something wonderful. Tell Him how much He means to you.
Having a journal conversation with God can strengthen your relationship and help you focus your mind and thoughts on the greatness of your heavenly Father.
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4. Gaze at His Handiwork
Another simple way to pursue intimacy with God today is to admire His handiwork. We often get to know a person by reading what they wrote or admiring their art or opinions. And we can get to know God better by gazing at His creation (Psalm 19:1).
Take a walk in nature and stop to admire the creativity and expertise of your Creator. He could’ve crafted the earth in varying shades of grays, but He chose to fill it with beautiful flowers, animals, leaves, insects, food, and terrain that all delight us. Open your eyes to the beauty around you, and let the Author of beauty fascinate you with His artistic expression.
As you contemplate what He has made, thank the God who created it all from nothing, and ask Him to reveal more of His creative self to you.
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5. Spend Time with Him
Finally, set aside some focused time to spend with God today. Time together is a crucial component of every relationship. For example, when we have less time to give to our spouse or kids or friends, we feel our relationships with these people start to diminish.
So take some time today to step away from your crazy, busy life, and spend time with your heavenly Father. Dive into His Word. Tell Him what’s happening in your ordinary life—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Listen for His voice. Ask Him where He wants to lead you next.
Spending time with God cultivates the sense that God is intensely interested in what’s going on with you and what you face today. And He surely is! He has promised to “never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) and longs to be part of your moment-by-moment life—to ease the burdens, provide what you need, and offer His strength for every moment.
As you practice these simple ways to pursue closer relationship with God, may you find the joyful satisfaction of intimacy with a real and present Creator who adores you and can hardly wait to grow in relationship with you.
Janna Wright told her first story—something about kittens and lost mittens—at age two. As an author and speaker she still loves stories, sharing them often in her “biz-nistry,” Grace Thread, and her book, Grace Changes Everything. Janna adores deep talks, the CO mountain air outside her back door, and most of all, helping women of faith enjoy Jesus and the adventure of grace.
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