How to Continually Grow Closer to God Throughout Your Lifelds

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All Scripture references come from the King James Version of the Holy Bible (KJV)."

Have you ever wondered how to get closer to God?

It doesn't matter who you are, at some point, we all struggle with our faith.  It may be a struggle with illness, a family or personal problem, or simply a gap in your relationship with God.  It's always good to reconnect.

So let's take a look at some ideas of how to get closer to God spiritually with some simple habits for spiritual growth.

In an earlier post, How to Grow Your Faith in God, I mentioned several daily habits that we can do to put God first in our lives.  This is our opportunity to elaborate on those habits.

If you are not implementing these daily habits into your life, you might find a chink in the armor of your growing relationship with God.  I encourage you to take a close look at your life, add those things that are missing, and seek out how to get closer to God.

Be sure to grab your checklist (below) with the tips to grow your faith from this post. ⤵️

How do I start getting closer to God?

The following list contains 15 daily activities that you can do to get closer to God.  Have you ever thought to describe your relationship with Jesus?  What kind of activities would you be doing if you were right there with Him as He established His first church?

As you work these activities into your life, (with the exception of the first one, since you were learning from Jesus Himself,) you will find your relationship with God growing.

One last thing before we dig in, joining your local New Testament church is the best way to get closer to God.

After you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, the very next step in obedience is to be baptized into a true New Testament church. By true, I mean one that follows all of the doctrines of Jesus.

It's not enough to pick any old church. Make sure the doctrines align with the Bible. That is more important than a feel-good church that offers a basketball court and parties on the weekend, (but that's a topic for another blog post.)

Following up with baptism and membership in a true church will keep you aligned with the will of God.  After all, that's our goal, right?

Open your Bible

One of the best ways for how to grow closer to God, is to open your Bible every single day.  It doesn't matter if you simply read through your Bible, do a Bible study do daily devotionals, spending time in God's Word is going to draw you closer to the Lord.

The Bible is God's instruction manual. If you don't know what's in there, you'll never understand how to successfully play the game of life by God's rules.  It's no surprise that you will find tons of Bible verses to get closer to God.  You'll find several of them scattered right here throughout this post.

There are great Bible studies available.  I love Praying the Promises of God and Bible Study Methods:  7 Ways in 7 Days.

I don't know about you, but I'm yearning to hear my Heavenly Father say, "Well done, though good and faithful servant."  Be sure to pray first, though.  Personally, I want God to open my heart before I start to dig into His Word!

Pray

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV. There you have it, Paul's instructions for how to grow closer to God.  Talk to God. Prayer is a gift. Praise Him, thank Him, petition Him on behalf of others and yourself. Prayer is simply talking to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Even if you don't know what to say or the burdens of your heart are too great to put into words, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us when that happens, because He knows our heart, always.

A great way to build your prayer life is to create a custom war binder or a prayer journal, which is a notebook with different sections that document your walk with God.  A war binder is a mini version of the room made famous in the movie "War Room."  If you haven't seen the movie yet, take the time to watch it.  It will encourage you as you grow closer to the Lord.

Romans 8:26 KJV tells us Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Fellowship with other Christians

We can have fellowship with our worldly friends who are likely to lead us away from God or we can have fellowship with other Christians who understand God and His guidelines.  These friends encourage us in getting closer to the Lord. These are truly the best friends you'll ever have because they're looking out for your best interests, your heart, and your soul.

Be humble

If you think you've got more control over your life than God does, you better think again.  God has a plan for your life. Our job is to follow God's will and live according to that plan.  That doesn't mean we are puppets and cannot set goals.

We are given the privilege and the curse of free will.  It's a privilege because He allows us to choose. But it's a curse because if we choose poorly, then we reap the consequences of that choice.  Your best plan is to seek God's will for your life and humble yourself before Him. Let Him lead you.

Serve others

Jesus was a servant.  He asks us to humble ourselves and serve others as well.

Matthew 23:11-12 KJV But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

If we want a closer relationship with God, we need to follow His commandments and put no other Gods before Him, and love others as ourselves. We serve others when we follow His second commandment. Doing His will through service means following the Scriptures to get closer to God.

I suggest that you encourage others with every opportunity that you get.  Check out 9 Quick and Easy Benefits of Kindness for some of the earthly rewards of your service.

Like this post? Print it out, grab the ebook for just $3. Click the banner below.⤵️

Confess your sins and repent from your bad habits

If you have unrepentant sin in your life, the Lord won't listen to your prayers. So confess up, friends, and turn away from those sins.  I have a friend who recently went through cancer. She always asked for prayer. But when she did so, she added, "But repent first, I want God to hear those prayers."

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

We want to get closer to God spiritually, so confess your sins and repent, or turn away from them.

Love others

We all show love in our lives. There's love for your spouse, your children and your friends and then there's agape love.  This love shows God's immeasurable, incomparable love for mankind.

Jesus, showed agape love when he gave himself a ransom on the cross of Calvary for all of mankind.  He showed love to people who hated Him and He wants us to show that kind of love toward others. It's easy to love those who love us back. But it's important to love those who don't love back.

Luke 6:27-28 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Love everybody, always!  It's not just a catchy phrase, it is a commandment.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him,Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Show gratitude

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives.  Where do those blessings come from? Well from God, of course!  Part of our prayer life should be giving thanks to the Lord for all of the many blessings that He bestows upon us.

I'm not talking about the stuff we have. Of course, we're thankful for our families, our homes, and our health. But recognize our freedoms and privileges, the air we breathe, the nature that's beautiful to our eyes, and most of all, the salvation of our souls.

It's the things we cannot see that we sometimes neglect and take for granted. If you need help thinking of things to be thankful for, here's a great list to jog your memory. There's even a printable 40-day gratitude calendar if you need one. Gratitude from A to Z: Things to be Thankful For.

Be kind everywhere you go

It's so important to show kindness.  Remember the Golden Rule as most people call it?  As Jesus puts it in his Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

My friend AnnMarie Anderson from Busy Blessed Women recently wrote a blog post titled Why is Kindness Important? She answers a lot of questions and I highly recommend that you check it out.

As a huge fan of paying it forward, I created a mega list of 105 of the Best Random Acts of Kindness, also with a printable, to give you a ton of ideas of ways to show that kindness.  So show people the love of God that you have in your heart and be kind to everyone you meet. It's a great habit for spiritual growth.

Related post: 50 Beautiful and Loving Pay it Forward Ideas

Don't judge or criticize others

Matthew 7:1-5 says it best, again when Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

I couldn't possibly have much more to add to that, could I? Jesus is the one we should be listening to, right?  If you're looking for ways to make a spiritual connection with God, then follow the Words in red from the greatest instruction manual ever written, God's Holy Word.

Do you want to get closer to God spiritually? I've got some daily habits for spiritual growth. #biblicalencouragement #spiritualgrowth Click To Tweet

Stay connected to God

How do you get closer to God spiritually?  Include Him in absolutely everything that you do.  Are you struggling with work? Take it to God! Is your 2-year-old giving you sass?  Pray about it!

Are you trying to decide which car to buy or are you struggling with paying your bills?  Include the Lord in all of your decisions. Talk to Him all day long. Pray about everything. Praise Him, thank Him, ask for help and guidance.

Truly, in everything you do, you should seek input from the Lord. Stay connected to God and He will stay connected to you. It's pretty simple, really.  As you know, I've been through some pretty tough times. I've given even more tips on habits for spiritual growth in How to Draw Near to God After Tragedy.

The great commission given to all New Testament churches is from Matthew 28:19 which tells us:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

The very first word that Jesus tells us is Go! These are Jesus's words. He doesn't want us to sit around, hiding His Word in our hearts.

Our job, as Christians, is to share the Good News with others. If you got a great deal on shoes, you would tell everyone who would listen.  Well, the salvation of our souls and protection from eternal damnation is the best deal of our lives.

Why would you keep that quiet? I know that our friends and family can be the worst at listening, but you have to try. We don't have to save them, that's up to Jesus, but we just have to be the messenger.

Want an easy way to learn God's Word?  Scripture cards are so helpful. Be sure to grab the ones below.⤵️  These are some of my favorite Bible verses to remind you of God's promises, especially during the challenges of life.⤵️

Believe God's Word

How can you get closer to God spiritually if you don't trust Him?  God's Word is His instruction manual for life. These are God's words breathed into the 40+ men who wrote the Bible.  Over the course of 1500 years, the 66 books of the Bible were written.  Seek out different Scriptures to get closer to God.  I guarantee that you'll find dozens on every page in the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

That verse tells us the how and the why of the Bible. But the most critical part is faith. You simply have to believe that God is who He says He is. Go back to the original post, How to Grow Your Faith in God if you struggle with belief.

I understand that it can be hard to just put your faith in someone that you cannot see or touch.  But you know He exists based on the evidence around you. Remember the Bible's definition of Faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Believe in God and trust Him with everything and there is no greater habit for spiritual growth.

Do God's Word

Is it good enough just to read God's Word or listen to the preaching of it?  Not at all! You have to act on the instructions that we're given. In other words, you have to "do" God's Word.

James 1:22 KJV says that we should But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

There are many action words that we are to follow in our lesson manual, the Bible. Go, do, believe, trust, preach, love, bless, pray, and on and on.  So what should we do with these action words? We simply do what it tells us to do.

Some of it is easy and some is hard but God will lift you up and help you do the job.  Another action word that you need is trust. Connecting with God means that you trust Him.  If you trust Him, He will help you. So get busy, go and do!

Listen to God's Word

There are so many options of things that you can listen to on the radio.  You also have the option of listening to motivational podcasts or other types of recordings.  Why not listen to God's Word or Christian music instead of pop radio, the news or worldly music.  You can also listen to talk radio which includes preaching or the discussion of Bible topics.

Take the time, while driving or during downtime to get closer to God spiritually.  Stay away from the sinfulness that's available online. Your choices are endless.

How can I strengthen my relationship with God?

A growing relationship with God includes prayer.  Make sure that your prayer life includes gratitude.  Appreciating what is going on all around you is a major step in connecting to God.  I pulled together 30 very simple ideas to get closer to God spiritually,  just as you're going about your daily activities.  So keep reading.  But first, let me tell you about a really great way to make a spiritual connection with God.

How to stay connected to God

Faith Over Fear: Finding Peace in the Storms of Life is a printable Christian bundle that can help you stay connected to God by focusing on three key areas that will not only help you grow your prayer life, but it will dig deep into fear due to current events or any of the challenges in your life.

It digs into gratitude for your many bountiful blessings.  It will also help you in reaching out to share kindness with others.

All of this results in a positive mindset that will help you tackle any challenge to create a beautiful life filled with greater contentment and joy.  But most of all, it gives you the tools to make getting closer to God a whole lot easier.

Face your fears and struggles with faith, optimism, and hope.  This toolbox is just one way to connect with God.  It's easy, it provides that connection between pen and paper that causes you to add detail when you're working to get closer to God and to build that spiritual connection.

Grab Your FREE Daily Positivity Planner Page. Start your day in a positive way!⤵️

What happens when you get closer to God?

But there are other, more natural ways of getting closer to God spiritually.  As I mentioned earlier. I've compiled a list of 30 very simple ways of connecting with God that you can implement into your day with ease.  Let's take a look at what happens when you get closer to God and realize your surroundings.

• • • When you first open your eyes in the morning, whisper a quick "hello God", thank you for a great night's sleep and a brand new day.
    • Start each day in quiet time that includes prayer and Bible study.
    • Thank God for every challenge you face.  Remember,  there are blessings in every struggle.  You just have to be open to looking for them.
    • Worship God when you're outside as the sun shines on your face.
    • Get closer to God in prayer as you're driving.
    • Listen to a sermon or Christian music on the radio or podcast when you're in the car.
    • Talk to Jesus as you go through your day
    • Say a prayer for each prayer request, hurt, or heartache you find as you're scrolling through Facebook.
    • Break out a Bible Scripture coloring book, like this one for coloring through the Psalms.
    • Go for a walk and talk to God about the burdens and blessings in your life.
    • Thank God for the opportunities that each new day brings.
    • Keep a prayer notebook to keep track of all of your answered prayers. Here are some great prayer journals as well as coloring pages. Plus she's offering all my readers 10% off with this code:  ONELIFE10.
    • Pull a chair in the room you spend the most time in.  I call it Jesus's chair.  Talk to Him like He's right there with you.
    • Grab your free Scripture cards and post them around your home.  Scripture memorization is great for getting closer to God and learning more of His Word.
    • Make better choices when it comes to books, TV, and movies.  The old phrase, "what would Jesus do?" really helps in making decisions like that.  Remember that Jesus is still sitting in the room with you in that chair you brought in just for Him, watching TV with you, so make good choices.
    • Spend time with your Christian friends.   Who has better influence?  Your church friends or your worldly friends?
    • Spread out on the lawn and admire God's handiwork as the clouds go by, the birds sing and the breeze blows.
    • Walk through the garden and worship the Lord for the beauty of all His creation.
    • Make a joyful noise as you're cleaning your home.  Sing your favorite hymns.
    • Pray before meals, thanking God for the blessing of food.
    • One of the activities in Faith Over Fear is making a list of ways you adore your Heavenly Father.  Adore who He is, instead of always what He does for you.
    • Bible journaling helps you dig deep into Scripture for a better understanding.  Plus you gain valuable understanding the more you reason out each verse.
    • Connect with God by serving others.
    • Getting closer to God spiritually means listening when you pray.  Give Him time to respond, convict your heart and guide you.
    • Verbally praise the Lord when prayers have been answered.
    • Share your prayers and answered prayers with the people around you.  Show them how God works.
    • Find a new Bible plan in the YouVersion Bible App.  I love these Bible plans.  They have given me new things to study because there's so much to choose from.
    • Make a spiritual connection with God by listing the many blessings that He has bestowed upon you.
    • Adore God for who He is.
    • Repent, daily, hourly, or as often as is needed.  As long as you have unrepentant sin in your life, there's a wall between you and getting closer to God.

So you see, connecting with God is simple.  It's a simple matter of including Him in your life.

Well, there you have it, 15 daily habits for spiritual growth, as well as 30 additional ideas for connecting with God.   If you need to know how to get closer to God spiritually, implement these tips into your life. Basically, the old phrase, WWJD, or what would Jesus do is a great guideline for living.

Just a reminder, FYI…This is a great article and it has a whole lot of useful information.  If it's more convenient, you can purchase the "How to get closer to God" PDF file for only $3.  This way you can print it out or save on your computer for easy access, and it will be available for you to refer to anytime you want. (or click on the banner below to purchase.⤵️)

What do you think?  Am I missing anything?  Which habits are easier for you than others?  Which are harder?  Let me know in the comments, how do you get closer to God spiritually? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Are you a woman who wants to rediscover God's joy and peace amid the trials of life? Come join our Facebook Group — Women Living Exceptionally, with Joy and Jesus, a space to cultivate more faith, joy, peace, resilience, & community.

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