Life-changing Intimacy with Jesus
Author: Tanner Reuss
Have you ever felt stuck — far away from God after not talking to Him in a while and unsure how to get that intimacy with Him back?
If you answered yes, then, you’re not alone. So many of us have had seasons where we’ve stopped praying, reading scripture, and spending time with God. It’s easy to do when life gets busy and hard. Today, I want to share some tangible things that I felt impressioned into my heart by the Holy Spirit just a few short months ago while I was stuck in a season of confusion and chaos. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I needed to be close to the Father no matter what it took and just didn’t know how to get there. I’m thankful today that the Holy Spirit never stops teaching and guiding us and that the Lord loves us enough to give us correction.
1. Prayer in the Secret Place
When I was walking through this season, I felt a draw to nearness to the Father in prayer. It’s one of the most important ways that we find connection to God. We see this in the example of Jesus quite often, but especially in Matthew 26:36-46, where we find Him in the garden of Gethsemane, crying out to God in anguish over the suffering He is about to experience. He acknowledges God’s will, yet, still displays his humanity. I think this example specifically is one we should look to because it displays God’s design for prayer; no matter the situation, He wants to be close to us.
2. Reading God’s Word
Reading and diving into scripture is another way for closeness to the Father. It will more than likely feel very hard to do and comprehend at first and even be a little boring, but one way that I have combated this is trying different bible studies, translations, and simply seeking the Lord in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to bring supernatural understanding and revelation as I read. Take time to read scripture’s passages and apply it to your life.
3. Seek Like-minded Community
The last way that I’ve seen my relationship radically change with Christ is placing myself in like-minded community. Last summer, I attended TRS bible study as Maddie and Kaitlin decided to bring it back and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The Lord used those connections to build friendships that will be life-long and keep me accountable, providing opportunity for spiritual growth and encouragement as we have communed with each other in His name. Through shared study, worship, and prayer a sense of belonging and understanding is found — which is exactly how God designed us to interact with one another.
Wherever you’re at in this season, our prayer is that these tangible steps help bring you to closeness with Jesus, no matter the circumstances. We love you, friend!