Building a Real Relationship With God
What Makes a Relationship Grow?
How are you in your relationships?
How did you grow closer with your friends?
Let me guess—you probably:
- spent time with them
- had conversations with them
- shared both good and bad times together
Building a real relationship with God isn’t much different.
He wants to:
- spend time with you
- talk with you
- walk with you through both the good and the difficult moments
Going to God First
Let’s take it a step further.
When you need someone to talk to, you probably go to your most trusted friend, right?
Well, it’s the same with the Lord—except He desires that you go to Him first.
He is a jealous God, but He is also deeply loving.
He wants to be prioritized just as He prioritizes you.
Imagine having a friend who never made time for you and only came around when they wanted or needed something.
That relationship would be considered toxic.
And God is far from that.
Remove the Distractions
One important step in growing closer to God is removing distractions.
I don’t know about you, but it bothers me when I’m talking to someone and they’re constantly on their phone.
I don’t have their full attention.
Distractions work the same way in our relationship with God.
And distractions come in many forms:
- phones
- screens
- responsibilities
- activities
- racing thoughts
Even our own minds can become distractions.
Learning to Be Still
A spiritual discipline I’ve been learning to incorporate is sitting in silence for 5–10 minutes.
And honestly, the hardest part is quieting the mind.
How I personally do this is by writing down every thought racing through my head:
- the to-do list
- worries
- responsibilities
- good thoughts
- bad thoughts
I write it all down and offer it to the Lord.
Because I want Him to have my full attention.
Another Discipline: Waking Up Earlier
This one is not easy for everyone.
And honestly, even as a morning person, it isn’t always easy for me either.
But I know that as a wife, mother, and someone who is in “go mode” 99% of the time if I don’t wake up early enough, I will immediately get swept into all the activities and responsibilities of the day.
Creating intentional time with God before the chaos begins changes everything.
How to Hear God
This connects directly with removing distractions
But there is also hearing God…
And then there is knowing it is truly Him speaking.
Quite frankly, the more time you spend with Him and in His Word, the more you begin to recognize His voice.
A Simple Example
Here’s a visual:
Imagine someone approached my best friend and told her that I had talked badly about her and no longer wanted to be her friend.
But instead of believing them, she immediately shuts it down.
Why?
Because she has spent enough time with me to know that I would never speak that way.
She trusts my character more than the words of another person.
And how quickly she shuts down those lies depends on how well she knows me.
“How Much,” Not “How Long”
Notice I said how much she knows me—not how long.
I know too many Christians who have been Christians for years but still see God the way they want to see Him instead of seeing Him through the truth of His Word.
Time alone does not create intimacy.
Intentional pursuit does.
Feeling Closer to God
The Lord Himself said:
“You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
— John 15:14
The Lord desires closeness with you more than anything.
He wants you near Him.
We shouldn’t only seek the Lord’s hand—what He can give us.
We should also seek:
- His heart
- His presence
- and boldly seek His face
Seek His Face
“You have said, ‘Seek my face.’
My heart says to you,
‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’”
— Psalm 27:8
We Need the Holy Spirit
Because we are human and battle sin daily, doing all that the Lord commands does not always come naturally.
That is exactly why we need the Holy Spirit to help us.
And the beautiful thing is this:
We need the Lord in order to grow closer to the Lord.
Jesus carried the heavy burden and died for both you and me so that we could be close with Him and walk with Him in His Kingdom.
Accept the Invitation
Today, accept the invitation of grace that He has given you.
Draw near to Him.
Spend time with Him.
Talk with Him.
Listen for His voice.
And let Him become more than just someone you know about—
Let Him become someone you truly know.
Salvation Acceptance Prayer:
Dear Lord, I need you in my life. I desire to have you wholeheartedly. I accept in my heart and mind that you sent your son to die on the cross for me. I accept that you said the only way to the Father is through the Son. Lord, I thank you for the free gift of salvation that you have given me. Lord, please give me a heart of flesh to follow your commands and help me walk out this salvation all the days of my life. I am yours. Amen.