5 Ways To Deepen Your Relationship With God Personally

Feeling a desire for a deeper connection with Christ? Discover 5 ways to deepen your relationship with God and experience the joy of His love.

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Does it feel like God is really far away? Are you struggling, feeling like your faith has grown stagnant? Would you like to rejuvenate your relationship with God?

We all go through times like these. We experience doubt and discouragement and feel like God is a million miles away. The Christian walk isn’t always on the mountaintop; sometimes it’s a trek through a deep valley.

This article offers practical ways to build a deeper, more meaningful connection with God, starting right where you are. Keep reading to discover 5 ways to deepen your relationship with God.

1. Prayer Connects us to God

Text graphic with religious message reads as: 5 Ways To Deepen Your Relationship With God Personally. In the left side is an image of woman reaching his hands up holding with Jesus hand with a bright light in the background.

Jesus as Our Model for Prayer

If you’re looking to model your prayer life after anyone, choose Jesus. During His life on earth, Jesus showed us exactly what a vibrant and contemplative prayer life should look like.

Jesus prayed often, He prayed alone, and He had open and honest conversations with His Heavenly Father. Jesus set the perfect example by showing us how to pray, when to pray, and what we can say when we come before God.

We also see specific prayers. Matthew 6:9–13 is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” Here, Jesus shows us the blueprint for how our prayers to God should be constructed. Some key points we see in the Lord’s prayer are:

giving God glory and praise
asking for our daily needs
asking for forgiveness
asking for the ability to forgive others
asking for supernatural protection

In Mark 14:32–36, we see Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, just moments before his arrest and crucifixion. Here we see the depth of sorrow and anguish Jesus had before God as He prepared to die on the cross for our sins.

In this time of prayer, Jesus poured His heart out to God, asking if there was any other way redemption could be accomplished, but ultimately submitting all authority to God with His final words, “Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

In addition, we see many times throughout the Gospels where Jesus prays to God:

Jesus prayer of thanks (Mathew 11:25–26)
Jesus prayer before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42)
Jesus prayer predicting His death (John 12:27–28)
Jesus prayers on the cross (Luke 23:34, Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34, Luke 23:46)

Biblical Principles of Prayer

We know we need to pray, but sometimes we don’t know how to pray. Where do we even begin? A good acronym to remember is ACTS:

Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (supply our needs)

Our prayers should always start with adoration to God. We must turn the focus of our hearts outward and give Him the glory that He is due. We see a beautiful example of this in 1 Chronicles 29:10–13, as David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.”
1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Next, we have a confession. We must confess our sins to the Lord and ask forgiveness, thereby clearing the way to come to Him with our supplications. An example of this can be found in Psalms 51:10–13:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.”
Psalms 51:10–13

Following confession, we have Thanksgiving. We must give God thanks for all He has done in us and for us. Psalms 100:4-5 tells us to:

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalms 100:4-5

Lastly, we ask God for His divine help to meet our needs, and we ask for prayer for those around us. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us:

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority,
that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved
and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:1-4

Follow these four principles to have a rich and fulfilling prayer life. For more on how to pray using the ACTS acronym, visit this article, “A Simple Guide for Prayer,” from Eagle’s Landing.

Making Prayer a Daily Habit

Prayer has got to be a daily habit in our lives. It will be the most important thing you do every single day. Prayer is our protection from evil. Just like we wouldn’t skip brushing our teeth, drinking our morning cup of coffee, or talking with our spouse, we cannot miss out on spending daily time in prayer with God.

One example we see in Scripture is praying at set times during the day. This occurs many times, but most notably in Daniel 6 where we see Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den for his commitment to praying three times a day.

It can be helpful to have a set time where, no matter what else is going on, you stop to pray. If you decide to establish a set time to pray, don’t allow anything to get in the way of doing it.

You might also establish a particular location for prayer. Somewhere quiet and without distraction where, you can come into the Father’s presence unhindered by anything else.

However, we can also get hung up on having the perfect time and location for prayer, and those things can become more of a hindrance than a help. You may be in a season where you can spend long hours with the Lord in prayer, or you may be in the season where your long hours are spent tending young children and keeping house.

Wherever you find yourself, make prayer a priority. Know that prayer should be a vital part of your day. You need communion with your Heavenly Father. Don’t allow anything to keep you from coming into His presence.

You can also use The Prayer Pocket as your daily resources of prayer inspiration for your health, family, and all of the details of your day.

2. Bible Study To Understand God Through His Word

The Bible as God’s Inspired Word

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17

If prayer is how we speak to God, His Word is how He speaks to us. And the verse above tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed. Hebrews 4:12 says:

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12

God’s Word is alive and active. It’s just as relevant and true now, as it was when God first breathed it into life. God’s Word tells us everything we need to know about God. Who He is, what He says, how we should live our lives, etc.

If you want a deeper and more personal relationship with God, get into the Bible. You will never have a more meaningful and fulfilling relationship with Him apart from His written Word to you. Open the Bible and allow God to speak to you in ways you never thought possible.

You can bring your Bible with you anywhere with Bible Gateway as your resource for Bible study sessions.

Learning from the Bible’s Characters

As we seek ways to deepen our relationship with God, we can look to examples of men and women in the Bible.

Abraham: Who was appointed by God to be the father of a nation. He was obedient unto the calling of God and took his family into a strange land, trusting God to fulfill His promises.
Moses: Who refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, accepted the monumental task of leading the Israelites out of bondage. A man who was no great orator, became a mighty leader through God’s presence and provision.
David: A young shepherd boy anointed as the future King of Israel. God looked at David and saw a man after His own heart. David was incredibly flawed, but he loved the Lord and had deep remorse, followed by repentance, when he sinned.
Elijah: A prophet of God called during an incredible wicked and evil time in Israel’s history. He stood strong for God in the face of immense adversity. When he felt like he was the only faithful one to God, God showed him that he wasn’t alone.

And that’s just a few. When you feel far away from God, reflect on these accounts in Scripture. It helps to know that we aren’t the only ones who have ever gone through trials and tribulations. And it’s reassuring to know that the same God who had His protective hand on the men in the Bible, is the same God who has His hand on us today.

Practical Tips for Studying the Bible

If you’re unsure of how to start studying your Bible, here are a few tips:

pick a book to study verse by verse
find a study on a particular topic such as faith, anxiety, or hope in Christ.
find a good commentary to help you break down verses and give clarity to things that might be confusing
find a good Bible study to pair with your Bible reading, helping make things easier to understand and apply to your life.

The YouVersion Bible App is a great resource to download to your phone. There you will have access to the entire Bible, as well as personal devotions and Bible study plans to help you in your Spiritual walk.

3. Finding Stillness in God’s Presence

Seeking Stillness in Scripture

As you begin to deepen your relationship with God through prayer and Bible reading, it’s also important to be still in His presence.

Stillness is something a lot of us struggle with. We don’t live in a still world. We are constantly on the go and engaging with someone or something. Even if we have a few moments of “stillness” at a traffic light, we’re reaching for our phones to continue interacting with something.

The Bible says in Psalm 46:10:

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

We have got to stop running, doing, scrolling, talking, and engaging with everything around us and simply be still and know God. Just stop. Breath. Listen. Put away all the devices, get off alone, and have some quiet time with the Lord.

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was on the run for his life. Jezebel had promised that she was going to kill him, and Elijah had fled into the wilderness. He was weary, depressed, and he felt like he was the only one who had remained faithful to God.

God told Elijah that He was going to pass by him, so Elijah went up to the mountain to await the presence of the Lord. There came a great wind, then an earthquake, and then a fire. But the Lord wasn’t in any of those things.

Finally, there came a still, small voice. And that’s where God showed up to Elijah. That’s how to hear God’s voice for us as well. We need to come into the presence of the Lord, get quiet, and be still.

Sabbath Rest as a Model

The act of being still is hard. That’s why God devoted an entire commandment to observing a day of rest, or stillness.

We need to be intentional with resting our bodies, physically and spiritually, and setting aside time to rejuvenate in the presence of God. This is what God designed the Sabbath for. A day for stopping all work and for seeking to deepen our relationship with Him through rest and meditation on His Word.

You need this. I need this. We’ve bought the lie that we can be like the Energizer bunny and continue going, and going, and going. The reality is we cannot.

Stop. Rest. Reflect. Pray. Read your Bible. Let God refresh your heart and your mind. Learn to soak up the benefits of silence and solitude.

Practices for Cultivating Stillness

You may be asking, how is it possible to be still? What does that even mean? Some tips to help you to stop and practice active stillness are:

sitting down and journaling thoughts and feelings
setting your phone aside (maybe even turning it off) and getting alone with your Bible
getting out in nature and closing your eyes to free yourself from distraction
taking deep breaths and working to clear your mind
Use Christian meditation techniques

Friendship with the Holy Spirit

If all of this seems overwhelming, it doesn’t need to be. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, then you have the presence of the Holy Spirit living inside of you.

The Holy Spirit can, and will be if you allow it, a constant companion, guide, and source of strength to you. You can’t do all of this on your own. But, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, you can begin to deepen your relationship with God through prayer, Bible reading, and listening to the gentle whisper of His voice.

The Holy Spirit will be the source of your spiritual growth and the secret to finding peace in God. Use this resource as your guide to know if you are walking in the Spirit.

4. Spiritual Community

The Early Church as an Example

Along with everything else, another way to deepen your relationship with God is through Spiritual community. God has designed us to need community and so it’s important to not neglect this aspect of our walk with the Lord.

We see a great example of this when we look at the early church in Acts. These people came together daily to worship, learn more about God, and fellowship together. This wasn’t another social club, but a group of people wholly committed to honoring Christ and His teachings. Doing it together provided support, encouragement, and accountability, aiding everyone in their own personal walk.

The Bible commands us to love one another and, as iron sharpens iron, so we as Christians sharpen each other. We were made to be in community with fellow and like-minded believers.

The Body of Christ in Action

In Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, the Bible talks about how we, as believers, are gifted to work together. We are each endowed with different gifts that, when brought together, work together to allow the body of Christ to function well.

Just as our physical bodies are made up of many parts to allow us to function intelligently, so too has God designed us, as parts of His body, to work together in a beautiful and intricate way. It’s important to know how God has gifted you and then use your giftings within the church for His glory.

Finding a Supportive Faith Community

Finding a Bible based church is crucial to deepening your relationship with God. If you have not yet found one, I would encourage you to do so.

Start by looking up churches online and perusing their websites. Read their statement of faith. Pray for spiritual direction and discernment. Look for a church that will be, first and foremost, rooted directly in the Word.

Then, go visit! Make plans to check out a Sunday morning service. Once you’ve found a church that is grounded in the Bible, get involved. Don’t attend only the Sunday service, but check out their Sunday School classes, Bible Studies, weekday services, and fellowship times.

It can seem daunting, but your church can, and will, become like family to you. They will support and encourage you through the high and low points in your life. They will help you stay grounded in Christ and celebrate the victories of your Christian walk with you. It can become one of the greatest blessings in your life.

Not sure where to start? Find a church with this online directory to help you find local churches based on your denomination and location.

Or Online Christian Communities that connect several online platforms connect Christians for support, discussion, and prayer.

5. Embracing Your Spiritual Journey

Overcoming Trials with Faith

Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Just like the disciples, we are going to have trouble in this world. It’s a given. But we can take heart knowing that, no matter what we go through, we’re walking hand in hand with Jesus Christ, and He’s already overcome all things!

We can also look back on people like Job, Joseph, and Paul, and take encouragement in how they handled the trials they went through. Remembering that, while we can read their stories in mere minutes, they lived their lives just as we are living ours.

They were real people who went through some really tough stuff. And just as God brought them through the storms of their lives, so will He also bring you through yours. Use whatever it is you’re going through to deepen your walk and relationship with God.

James 1:2-4 says:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4

Every trial comes with a choice. We can whine, complain, and ask “why me,” or we can trust God through the trial and allow Him to use it to grow our faith.

Trusting God’s Plan

God has a plan and a purpose for you. No matter what you’re walking through right now or what you’re struggling with, God is going to use it for His good and His glory. Romans 8:28 says:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28

Also, His promise in Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

You may think that nothing good can come from what you’re dealing with right now. But God promises you that He will work all things together for good. You might think God has forgotten about you in this stage of your life, but I promise you, He hasn’t. He wants to give you hope and a future.

Take heart that, no matter what you are going through right now, God sees you and He knows you. He loves you, and He is walking with you, hand in hand, even if you can’t feel Him. He will bring you through this, and He will turn your ashes into a thing of beauty.

FAQ’s About 5 Ways To Deepen Your Relationship With God

How can I make my prayers more effective?

Make sure you are regularly confessing your sin to God. Come before Him with a clean heart and right spirit. Make praise and thanksgiving a routine part of your prayer life, before asking for anything else.

What’s the best way to study the Bible?

Pray about how God wants you to study His Word. The best way will be the way that gets you in the Bible daily.

How can I find a good church?

Look up local churches in your community and begin to get out and visit. You won’t ever find a good church if you never leave your house.

How can I hear God’s voice?

Be still. Listen. Open up God’s Word and read the things He’s already said to you. Practice listening to God and allow Him to open your heart and your ears.

How can I stay close to God during difficult times?

James 4:8 says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. In difficult times, continue doing all the things listed above. Read your Bible, pray, be still before God, and become a part of a local body of believers.

This isn’t a checklist of do’s and don’ts. Having a deeper relationship with God is just that, it’s a relationship. God is inviting you to have a relationship with Him – the Creator of the Universe! He wants you. He desires you. He wants to delight in you. How amazing is that?

But, just like our human relationships, deepening your relationship with God is going to take time and mindfulness. It’s not just going to happen. You need to be intentional with the steps listed above and take time to put them all into practice.

I promise, it will be the best thing you ever do.