Every human being has an innate desire to seek and understand God, even if they are not fully aware of it. Man was created for the very purpose of communing with God. How can leader develop a relationship with God?
In his article, “Does God Require Us to Do Anything to Be Saved?,” Allen Webster writes that, despite the fact that God’s love is unconditional and everlasting, there are some things he requires from us in order to build a relationship with him. Webster argues that it is not faith alone that teaches us our paths to salvation, but rather, the combination of faith and works (James 2:24). There are things that you need to do when developing a relationship with God. The Bible says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8, NKJV). God promises to respond, but it is your responsibility to initiate a relationship with him. Here is another promise, And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13, NKJV). When we engage God, he responds to us and draws us into a deeper relationship with him.
3 Ways To Engage with God
As a Christian leader who has entered into a relationship with God, there is need to build intimacy with God to keep the relationship healthy. Here are some ways we can engage and develop, a relationship with God.
1) Prayer
It is impossible to develop a relationship with God without prayer. The key to any good relationship is communication, whether between a husband and wife, manager and employee, or just close friends. Your relationship with God is the same—it will not grow unless you consistently communicate with him. Jesus demonstrated this well during his earthly ministry. Here are a few examples:
- So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed (Luke 5:16, NKJV)
- Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed (Mark 1:35, NKJV).
- Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him (Luke 22:39, NKJV).
You will be hard pressed to find someone in Scripture who had a deep relationship with God and did not pray. Old and New Testament alike, from the prophets to the apostles, they all prayed devoutly to strengthen their relationship with God.
Prayer is talking to God. He is always with us and always listens when his children cry out to him. He answers prayers in different ways—yes, no, wait or even surprises us by doing things we would never expect. But he is always there and always available. If we wish to be close to God, we should pray daily.
Some people struggle with knowing how to pray. What should we pray for when we talk to God? What kind of prayer does God desire? The answer is found in Jesus’ model prayer recorded in Matthew 6:9-13, commonly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer.
This, then, is how you should pray:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
2) Bible reading
Another practical way to develop a relationship with God is by making a habit of reading your Bible regularly. Did you know that the New Testament writers referenced the Old Testament 855 times? They had a vast knowledge of Scripture, and that knowledge allowed them to develop a deep relationship with God.
Let us look at King David as an example. God said that David was …a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do. (Acts 13:22). While there are many qualities David had that earned him God’s favor, his love for the word of God tops the list. David wrote Psalm 119, which is filled with passionate exhortations about loving the Bible. In Psalm 1:2, David says, his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night. This is key to building a relationship with God.
The Bible is God’s life instruction manual to us. We need to read and memorize it in order to build a strong and close relationship with him. Through the Bible, God reveals himself and his will to us.
We should learn the word of God, obey its commands, memorize it, and meditate on it. It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4).
3) Worship and Fellowship
One of the most important things you can do to develop a relationship with God is to connect with other believers. You will develop a deeper understanding of God when you study his word together with other people. The Bible says, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25, NKJV). It is important that you make gathering with other believers a priority. The Bible even declares that it pleases the Lord when you do this, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1, NKJV). Connecting with other believers in community is key to growing your relationship with God.
Fellowship means sharing. All true Christians are members of God’s family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Because of this, we are called to love and care for one another, like the believers in the early church described in Acts 2:42-47. As the body of Christ, we are called to fellowship and encourage one another. The Bible warns us against neglecting fellowship (Hebrews 11:24-25).
Every leader should be intentional about building their relationship with God. You can develop your relationship with God by having a consistent prayer life, reading the Bible, and connecting with other believers.
BIBLE VERSES ON CULTIVATING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7).
Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38, NLT).
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT).
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105, NLT).
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8, NKJV).
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
- What is the importance of cultivating a personal relationship with God as a leader?
- What do you consider to be your biggest challenge for you to develop your relationship with God?
EVALUATION AND ACTION
- In what ways are you developing your relationship with God?
- What do you need to do to improve your relationship with God?