4 WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,

How to start feeling Gods presence in your life.

One of the best investments we can make in our lives is fostering strong, healthy
relationships with those we love. These relationships serve to strengthen our mind and
physical health. These attachments show us that we matter to someone else, provide
us with opportunities to look outside of ourselves and to give to others.

Unfortunately, the rat race of life often robs us of the time needed to devote and
maintain these unions. As a result, many of us suffer without understanding why. We are
seemingly thrown into exile isolated from the world around us and those we love.
Though we see the physical form of our loved ones, we cannot feel their loving
presence or appreciate their love for us.

The same is often true with our relationship to God. The world carries us away on a
rollercoaster ride, distracting us from focusing on lifes essence.

In such cases, we must take a few steps back, recharge, realign and focus on receiving
the love that is being directed at us. How? To rebuild the relationship, the first, basic
thing to do is to recognize the others presence and feel them in our hearts. How can we
begin to connect to a Creator if we havent dedicated the time to first recognize His
existence?

It is vital to implant in our consciousness that there is a Creator a basic awareness of

the presence of God in our lives. As it says in Psalms: I have set God before me
always (Psalms, 16:8). By doing so, we essentially invite Him into our life and are able
to begin developing a relationship with Him.

So how do we rejuvenate this relationship with our Creator in order to feel His love?

1. Live consciously with the thought that there is purpose to life: A first step is
to actively focus on the fact that nothing happens on its own. We are placed in
this world to fulfill specific tasks and must remain mindful of the quest and
continually search for purpose. Simply put God is closely involved in every
aspect of a persons life. Think of lifes events as personal notes intended to
convey messages. Gradually as we tune in to this idea we will be able to
decipher their meaning more readily.
 2. Be aware of lifes gifts: A second step towards fostering this relationship with
God is to focus on appreciating everything He has done for us. Next time you find
something you have been looking for, show your appreciation by thanking God.
Or the next time you miss your bus, actively look for one aspect of goodness in
that occurrence, even if its just the fact that it gives you an opportunity to
practice this exercise.

Daily events provide continuous opportunities to appreciate the goodness of God in our
lives. The warm smile that greets you during a stressful day or the kind words that
someone utters your way are some of the ways God interacts with you. Through these
experiences we can sensitize our perception of Gods personal intervention, His
constant presence, His love and care for us.

3. Express your faithfulness through action: The Sages suggest another way
we can use to build a strong connection with God which is hinted to in the
word mitzvah (Torahs commandments), the Hebrew root of which
is tzavta (companionship). Through engaging in various mitzvot we may partner
with Gods will through our deeds. Furthermore, Torah study gifts us with a
glimpse of infinite wisdom, since He reveals Himself through the holy letters.

4. Keep working on enhancing the relationship: However, as with any

relationship, we must expect ups and downs in our relationship with God. Life is
full of stress and trying encounters which throw us into darkness and feelings of
being abandoned. Yet, it is of utmost importance to stay loyal and faithful despite
of the challenges. This is the definition of unconditional love.

When we find ourselves in the dark, we must remember that we are not alone. The
walls are only illusions. We learn this from the verse describing the receiving of the
Torah on Mount Sinai: and Moshe drew near unto the fog where God was (Exodus,
20:18). Any separation is an aspect of fog, cloudiness and darkness. However, the
numerical value of the words the fog in Hebrew is equivalent to the numerical value of
the Shechinah (the Divine Presence). From this, we can deduce that God is present
even when we are in a place of confusion and are experiencing loss of clarity or
cloudiness of mind.

In such dark times, one way of reminding ourselves that He is still there is by simply
inviting Him using simple words such as God, I need You in my life. Communication is
essential when forming a healthy connection between two parties and our relationship
with God is no exception. Talking things through while respecting the others feelings is
paramount for enhancing any relationship. Hearing the other side out and trying to place
ourselves in their shoes as best as possible establishes long term feelings of validation.
Just as we talk with others, we need to talk to God, trust Him enough to openly reveal
ourselves to Him, and listen to His response.

It is crucial to extend time and effort to foster our relationships. Recognizing the others
presence, searching and appreciating their kindnesses, following their suggestions,
being loyal and faithful even when it seems that they are distancing themselves from us,
and communicating our innermost thoughts may all consume a hefty amount of
emotional energy. However, when we exert enough effort, we will be rewarded by
finding that both during the joys and vicissitudes of life, the sunshine and the clouds of
confusion and fogginess, they are right there with us.
 6 TIPS FOR BUILDING A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Have you ever secretly been jealous of someone who seemed to have an intimate
relationship with God and hear from Him all the time, as if they had some sort of
supernatural direct phone line to God?

Have you ever wondered why you often feel disconnected from God, and assume you
could never be as spiritual as that person you admire?

I know I have, and chances are you have too. We often tend to think feeling truly
connected to God is out of reach, or only for other people, but God longs for that
closeness with every one of us not because of who we are, but because of Who He is.
If we are willing to make a relationship with Him a priority, we will eventually begin
feeling His closeness.

In my Proverbs 31 Devotion today, I talked about the spiritual junk food that often
prevents us from focusing on our faith or feeling close to God, and you can read that
devotion here. Here on my blog today, I wanted to offer a few tips for spiritual nutrition
those things we can consume or do to help us build a more intimate relationship with
God and feel connected with Him in heart, soul and mind.

1. Make daily prayer a must, and dont be afraid to be honest with God. Psalm
139:2 says You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from
afar. God already knows our thoughts, fears, imperfections, and mess-ups, so when we
open our prayers with honesty, repentance and seeking forgiveness, our minds are
cleared to praise God and begin hearing from Him. Keep in mind that prayer isnt like a
phone call we dont have to hang up and try back later. Consider just never saying
amen and keep the conversation going all day!

2. Spend quiet time with God. How often do we hear how important this is? But how
often do we really make it a priority? Life is busy and we all have routines. But I have
learned when I start my day in prayer before I even get out of bed, and then spend at
least a few moments reading my daily devotion or daily scripture verse, I have a much
better day overall and am more alert to Gods whispers.

3. Read your Bible. If youre not sure how to get started, or it seems intimidating or
boring, seek out some tools to help you get started and stay focused, such as a Bible
reading plan or a Chronological Bible. If reading the whole thing over a year or so
seems overwhelming, commit to digesting it in smaller portions, possibly reading one
chapter or one book a week. God speaks through His Word, so if your goal is not only
grow closer to God, but to begin hearing from Him with spiritual clarity, spending time
reading what He has written will open up doors for spiritual growth. For additional info
on getting the most out of reading your Bible, click here to read a past blog post which
shares tips and questions for deeper bible study.

4. Spend time with other believers. Seek out friends, support groups, or bible studies
where conversation will fuel your faith, not squelch it.

5. Attend church regularly. Not out of obligation but out of a desire to worship in the
Lords house and be encouraged. Of course, we dont have to go to church to be a good
Christian, but getting a weekly dose of music, prayer, worship and fellowship is often
just we need to stay focused on Christ after a long hard week, or before a hard week
ahead. Hebrews 10:25 says And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some
people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is
drawing near. This verse reminds us not only can we gain much needed
encouragement in our spiritual walk by corporately worshipping our Jesus, but we are
also called to be an encouragement to others.

6. Live out your faith. This might sound like the hard part, yet when we make the first
five tips a priority in our life, then living out our faith become a reality. A heart on fire for
Christ transforms our inner thoughts and desires and results in not only the desire to live
out our faith, but the inspiration and motivation to do whatever it takes to do so. Living
out our faith doesnt mean never messing up, it just means we are better equipped to
handle the times when we do. And not only we do benefit in wonderful, blessed ways as
we live according to Gods instructions, but our life can become a shining witness to His
goodness and power, and other people might long to know Him as well.

A close relationship with our Savior is possible for all of us. If we ask for it and work
towards it, we can feel confident we will receive it, just as we are told in Luke 11:9-
10 which says, And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask
for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened
to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to
everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

These are just some tips I have found to work well in my faith walk, but I would love for
you to share what tips or daily practices you make a priority in your life to keep Christ at
the forefront of your daily activities and to keep your relationship strong. Consider
sharing your words of wisdom in the comment section!