Growing Closer

The word intimacy means “oneness or union.” It’s the perfect word to describe the amazing relationship that God wants to have with us. He created us to live in close fellowship with Him—to enjoy Him and include Him in every area of our lives.

Learning to develop an intimate relationship with God is simply the greatest lesson I’ve ever learned. Just like we grow closer to other people by spending quality time with them, this is how we grow closer to God.

We can choose to spend time with Him by reading and studying His Word. We can talk with Him as a friend through prayer. We can also simply sit quietly in His presence and just “be still” before Him (see Psalm 46:1). As we do, we not only develop a relationship with Him, but He also begins to change us from the inside out, making us more like Him in every way. We enter a place of joy and strength—a place where the negative things in life can’t get to us quite as much.

I love Psalm 91:1 (AMP). It says, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand].

When we come into close intimate fellowship with God, we enter the safest place we can ever be! Our problems may be too big for us, but they are certainly never too big for God. When we have a problem or an enemy, the Lord desires for us to run to Him for help and “remain secure” in His presence.

Our relationship with God is powerful. This is the reason why our enemy, Satan, will do everything he can to prevent us from spending time with the Lord and growing closer to Him.

Over the years, I’ve discovered several things the enemy uses to try and hinder us from making progress in our relationship with God. I think if we can know what they are, then we can take steps to avoid them along the way.

#1: A Desire to Be Entertained

There’s certainly nothing wrong with having fun and being entertained. Jesus Himself says He came so we could enjoy our lives to the full (see John 10:10). However, we live in a time when entertainment can easily crowd out some things that are vitally important.

I know in my own life, I have to regularly prioritize my time. It’s easy to plop down and watch hours of television. But we have to ask ourselves: Is it worth it? Am I spending my time wisely? Am I setting enough time aside to read the Word and develop my relationship with God?

Again, this doesn’t mean we can’t watch TV, go to the movies, play games, or have fun. However, these are things that can slowly push God out of the picture. Take a moment and think: Are you allowing yourself enough time each day to spend quality time with God? If not, what is preventing you from doing so?

#2: Work

Living a balanced life is one of the most important things we can do. Yes, it’s good to work and be fruitful. However, even a good thing can get out of balance and become a bad thing.

First Peter 5:8 (AMP) tells us, Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

I’ll admit, there was time when I worked too much. It’s easy to justify it and say, “Well, I’m doing all of this for God.” But when we work too much, we can get tired, cranky, and hard to get along with. We also become emotionally unbalanced, and we no longer enjoy what we’re doing or even the people in our lives the way we should.

If you’re a potential “workaholic,” take time to stop and ask yourself why. Do you work to prove your self-worth? Are you working to please someone else? Because, it’s inevitable: If we allot too much of yourself for “work,” then there’s not enough of you reserved for everything else, including God.

#3: Being a People Pleaser

For years, I was overly concerned about what other people thought. However, I eventually realized it’s impossible to please all of the people all of the time! Even more importantly, if I am always focused on pleasing people, then it prevents me from being completely free to obey God.

In Galatians 1:10 (AMP), the apostle Paul says, Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

The enemy would love to use the “approval” of other people to get in the way of your walk with God, but you don’t have to let them. Even if people are well-meaning, it’s healthy and necessary to tell them “no” if it’s not what is best for you.

I can tell you that if I always did what others wanted me to do, I most certainly wouldn’t be teaching God’s Word all around the world today. Now, I’m not saying we should have a belligerent, rebellious attitude that says, “I don’t care what you think.” But the Word also instructs us to not be people pleasers at the expense of pleasing God (see Acts 5:29).

#4: Allowing Yourself to Feel Unloved

A close, intimate relationship with God begins with knowing just how much He loves you. Maybe you’re like me and didn’t grow up with parents who showed you love. Or maybe their love was “conditional”—they were happy with you when you did everything right. If so, I’ve got good news for you today: God is love, and He loves you tremendously, right where you are.

Sure, none of us are perfect, and we all have a long way to go. But God still loves us even while we’re making the trip—even while our growth is “in progress.” Because we have been made right through Jesus Christ, we can go to God with confidence—unashamed and as little children—knowing our Father longs to spend time with us and develop a special friendship.

Wherever you are today in your walk with God, I encourage you to keep making progress. Begin to view your time with Him as a priority that’s just as important as any other part of your life. Let nothing stand in your way of having a close, personal, intimate, relationship with Him. Because as you choose to put God first, everything else in life will fall right into place.