As you all know, I live by Jeremiah 29:11. Even though I know it by heart, I recently went back to re-read it and verses 12-14 stirred something within me. The words, “When you seek me, you will find me, I will be found by you,” kept replaying in my head. 

Remembering how He wants for us to sincerely pursue Him just as much as He pursues us stirs my heart. He longs for us to invite Him into every area of our lives.

Even though He knows our thoughts, situations, and hearts, He wants us to come to Him willingly, to just abide in Him, to spend quality time with Him in whatever it is we are doing. He desires for us to choose Him in the middle of our crazy agendas, to put Him first in the middle of all the noise. He wants us to delight in Him and His word.

Look I get it. Sometimes it feels like 5-10 minutes would be better spent on a phone call or getting a head start on my day, but sometimes we need to just be with Him!

To find joy in Him.

To cultivate relationship with Him.

To desire more of life experienced with Him. 

I recently heard someone say that when they fail to engage with God, they feel homesick. I totally get that. When we would miss our close friends and family after being disconnected from them for even a few days, we can feel like something is missing, and we might not feel fully ourselves. When we meet with those we love again, we don’t want to spend our time listing all the things we need to accomplish or venting about how horrible our day was. We just want to be together! That’s the way it is when we get together with God. He wants us to come as we are, with questions, doubts, needs, and everything in between. He wants us to come to Him with a shorter list of needs and a heart posture of adoration and gratitude.

Maybe you’ve been taught that there is only one way to hear God’s voice–to connect to Him–but today I want to encourage you to settle into a new rhythm in your faith. Connecting with God can happen in different ways while you pray, read your Bible or new devotional, hear a song, watch a movie, go for a walk, or take a simple ride in your car. It’s stepping out in faith, making the time to hear Him by being silent, and waiting for Him that changes the course of our relationship with Him. Being with Him causes our connection with Him to flourish.

Maybe you are thinking it has to be all or nothing, but even a quick connection is meaningful and can cause your days to feel less hectic. Spending time with Him causes peace to overtake you even in the middle of chaos. The outcome of your day doesn’t have to affect you more than you affect it.

Five minutes a day with God is better than no time at all. 

Learn how God speaks to you. Pay attention in the silence. Linger a bit longer in moments that seem to go unnoticed. If you feel as if too much time has passed since the last time you spoke to Him and you think He won’t show up to meet you, know that it’s never too late to reach out to Him. 

Don’t worry.

Don’t let anxiety win.

Breathe and make time for God. He values fellowship with you and is willing to draw near to you when you draw near to Him (James 4:8).

This is why Jesus Christ came into the world. He wanted to make sure we have access to Him because we were born to live and dwell in His presence. The only question is: what choices are you and I willing to make to meet with Him? What new rhythm are we willing to put into practice so conversation with God becomes a lifestyle and not a chore?

I don’t want you to make communication and connection with God too hard! It’s an important rhythm of faith, and I want to help you see how simple it can be.

Below are some practical ways you can practice connecting to God’s heart. Remember: there is no rush in abiding. Simply be present and engaged. Savor and enjoy the relationship you are building with Him as a response to love.

  • Read a Bible verse or chapter and reflect on what God is saying to you
  • Make your morning walk/jog a time of prayer
  • Journal your prayers and note when He answers them
  • Start a Bible study/devotional or Bible reading guide 
  • Drive with Jesus in the passenger seat
  • Listen to sermons on-the-go
  • Relive your greatest encounter with God
  • Write down words of encouragement you’ve received from others and speak them over yourself
  • Focus totally on resting  your mind and body, and reconnect with God
  • Set phone reminders to pray, be grateful, worship, read and memorize Scripture
  • Let worship music play over you as you lay still
  • Journal to process your thoughts or answer specific questions
  • Draw while worship music plays in the background
  • Thank God for big and small things throughout the day
  • Find the promises of God in Scripture and declare them over yourself
  • Remember the testimonies from your life and those around you. He can do it again!
  • Write verses on index cards and post them around the house or on your car dashboard
  • Greet the Lord first thing in the morning
  • Play worship music in the background throughout your day to be connected at all times
  • Sit in silence and listen to what the Holy Spirit wants to say 
  • Include God in decision-making throughout the day 

I hope that list of ideas is helpful to you.  If you want more help in connecting with God, here are some ideas to get you going:

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