It’s tempting to make this process more complicated than it needs to be.
C.S. Lewis said it this way, “Good things as well as bad you know, are caught by a kind of infection. If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: If you want to get wet, you must go into the water. If you want to joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must go close to, or even into the thing that has them. they are a great fountain of energy and beauty sporting up at the very center of reality. If you are close to it, the spray will wet you: if you are not, you will remain dry.”
Don’t make it complicated
If you have a desire to build a relationship with God, you have already taken the essential first step. This desire sets your intention and focus. The rest is a matter of taking regular baby steps towards God, and being open to what happens.
If you want a relationship with God, you have to go, metaphorically, to where God is in place yourself in His presence. Only in that way you can receive the gifts He wants to give you.
God is always present, but never pushy
God is not going to knock you over to get close to you. We have the freedom to invite Him into our lives or not. you’re not going to wake up one morning with that certain feeling, you’ve become friends with God. Like human relationships, it usually takes an investment of time and attention and caring, and it’s up to you to take the initiative and moving closer to God -of placing yourself in His presence, and just abiding there. It’s rarely dramatic. You might not even feel anything at all at first. But when you do this over and over again, the emotion and belief will follow, and you begin to trust He is with you and guiding you.
Applying the KISS principle
Don’t make this hard — the KISS principle comes to mind; keep it simple, stupid. Think of building a relationship with God just as you would relationship with anyone else you might wish to know better.
6 simple steps to building a relationship with God
1. Take the time to touch bases with God, acknowledging and giving thanks for His presence.
2.Invite Him to come close. Invite him to sit with you at your hearts kitchen table and just hang out.
3. Talk. Some days this fall feel like pouring out your heart. Other days, it will be casual chit-chat occasionally, are you will be able to manage is “Here I am Lord. Please be with me.“ Between friends, it’s all good.
4. Listen. Remember to make it a two way conversation and expect to hear from God, just as you were from a trusted friend. God want you to know how much He loves you. He wants to offer support, and guidance to you. If you don’t take time to listen, you won’t hear His still small voice. For me, this communication from God comes in many various forms; thoughts, feelings, music, reading, nature, other people, or circumstances. Sometimes it’s just a feeling in the pit of my stomach being at peace with a situation or being upset let’s me know which way to go.
5. Make contact throughout your day. Being in touch with God doesn’t have to be only during times of meditation and prayer. It can be, while you’re on the run, when you are in the midst of activities, or when you have a moments break.
An Experience I had with this a few weeks ago really explains this perfectly. An acquaintance of mine had been losing her voice. She’s been to the doctor and had numerous tests. As I was having a conversation with her I audibly heard God say “Ask her if they checked her thyroid. So I told her God wants to know if you’ve had your thyroid checked. She kind of looked at me strange. And said “No, but I’ll do that. That’s what, having a relationship with God looks like.
6. Take action when you hear God’s voice. if you feel God is guiding you, or telling you, something, take action on it as soon as possible. The insight you receive may only show you where to take the next step, but once you’ve taken one step, the following ship will appear in front of you. Even though there is electrical power in your house, the light doesn’t turn on until you flip the switch to harness that power. Gods power is waiting for you to remember to flip the switch.
I believe in the Trinity – God at three in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So when I go to Jesus in prayer, or when I feel the power of God‘s Holy Spirit, it is all God to me. If you identify with one form or more than another, by all means, use that form, and you are visualization of God.
If you make the six steps regular practice, expect it to take time. This is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. You will find yourself gradually learning to recognize, gods voice, and beginning to trust it. One day, you’ll realize you’re in a relationship with God that is treasured and invaluable in your life. Don’t confuse the emotion with the reality. Even with earthly friends, some days you feel closer than others. True friendships surpass the day-to-day vagaries of emotion.
According to natural law, we grow like those with whom we associate, and the strongest character always exercises the controlling influence.
Hannah Whithall Smith
From Pity to Praise 