I'm going through a difficult time and the only thing that's been helping me get through this is God. I watch videos about God, I go to church, I pray, I read the bible, but I want to get closer to God. I don't know what else to do... Any recommendations? I hear some people can listen to God speak to them. I would like to get some sort of connection like that if it's possible.
How to get closer to God?
- Thread starter whitemoth
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That’s awesome for that to be in your heart whitemoth. God too wants fellowship with you, as He does all of His children. There are practices you can do that can… help you hear the Lord. One is fasting, and another (especially in conjunction with fasting) is tarrying. We often do a lot of talking in prayer instead of listening.
But what if we actually sat in silence (“be still and know that I am God”) and waited upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31)? My grandpa and dad when they were younger used to sit together and wait for God to speak to them. It’s in His timing, not ours. Yet we can with patient expectation know that He will show up because the sheep know His voice, and He has promised that if you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
Ask the Lord to know His voice, ask Him to speak to you as He did the prophets. He speaks to us in different ways. For some it is dreams, for others visions. Another will have images pop in their mind. Rarely is it audible but it does happen. Of course too you can pick up the Bible and ask the Lord to speak to you in His word, to give you wisdom for what you’re going through and the Holy Spirit who leads you into all truth will guide you. You’ll read something and it will stick out to you.
There is also the area of stepping out in ministry and listening for the voice of God (images in your mind, the still small voice where you “hear” the Lord internally, words of wisdom or knowledge, prophecy, interpretation of tongues, etc) and you minister to a person. If what you have shared is accurate and true, you gain confidence in knowing His voice because you’re obviously confronted with the fact YOU couldn’t have known the information you shared.
Hopefully some of what I have shared is the wisdom and knowledge you are seeking.
Wow! thank you for your suggestions! I will try to do some tomorrow and see how that goes. I will keep trying either way until I get a response.
Be assured that God wants to have fellowship with all His children. We must come in Jesus' name. We must come clean - confess any known sin. Come with complete confidence. God is merciful, gracious and willing to help in our times of need. (Hebrews 4:16). Personally, there is never a time when I'm not in need.
Don't expect or wait for feelings. I got myself confused by seeking a feeling to validate my prayers. Feelings and thoughts that churn through the mind are like noise that can drown out God's voice.
An example may help. I have a large, wall mounted fan that works by pulling on a string. About midnight, the string broke as I tried to turn the fan off. The Lord showed me with just a quiet impression that I should remove a plastic cover. It seemed to do nothing. It exposed a label. I removed the label. Underneath was a disk I could rotate manually. It was the switch. The job I dreaded took about 5 minutes. I have countless examples where God has graciously helped me in awkward situations. He does not play favourites. Don't be afraid to ask, or think that your problem is too trivial to bother God with. If Lord Jesus can calm a fearsome storm, He can sort out the "storms" in our lives too.
"The Holy Spirit, a spiritual consciousness within ones self, there I have learned over
the years, is precisely where I rely on the presence of God's inspiration to be, guiding
me in remembrance of His principles of life, here in the now."
'Thank God'....I came...I came to...I came to believe. God is. Within ones own self."
the years, is precisely where I rely on the presence of God's inspiration to be, guiding
me in remembrance of His principles of life, here in the now."
'Thank God'....I came...I came to...I came to believe. God is. Within ones own self."
Frist KNOW that He is not waiting for you to become the perfect Christian
He wants you to come to Him just as you are. KNOW He is for you not against you. KNOW He is with you and loves you. Stay in His word. Sing to Him praise worship Him.... KNOW He hears you.. KNOW He is with you no matter what you feel see hear. The more you worship Him.. at first it can be hard but.. something will happen 
Think about Him who He is what He has done in your life. I LOVE music so I always just let it play and sing worship Him. Then wait on Him .. KNOWING He is with you. Wait on the lord "Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!" He said "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you". Not might but WILL! Know this. Again think about your Father.. tell Him what you want.. Lets make it real.. take it home so to speak. You said "How to get closer to God?" Praise GOD GLORY TO JESUS! Where to you think that thought came from? HIM! Oh praise GOD! Yeah.. rejoice! What He started He will finish!..
David said to get close to God is to meditate on Him. Science says if we empty our minds and repeat senseless sounds it will help our health!! David said to sit quietly and fill our heart and soul with the word. Daniel used the time of day that it is said God saved for us to be closest to him--9, noon, 3, and 6.
When I had a life blow that made living very difficult, I went on a fast, stopping most material input even food for five days. I filled myself with God's word only. When I let in the world again, it was filled with joy. I love to paint oil roses now, among other things to paint, as you can see in my post, and God filled me with His joy.
When I had a life blow that made living very difficult, I went on a fast, stopping most material input even food for five days. I filled myself with God's word only. When I let in the world again, it was filled with joy. I love to paint oil roses now, among other things to paint, as you can see in my post, and God filled me with His joy.
A person's closeness to God is directly proportional to the level of their own self-interest.
Inasmuch as you become nothing, being content just to have your basic needs met,
and devote yourself to loving your neighbor as yourself, so that they achieve their basic needs too,
then, to that degree, you will know, love and be close to God.
The more you eat, breathe, and ESSENTIALLY, practice Jesus, the more this will be you.
Ensure quiet time in your closet with God (not while your driving or doing anything else), and not babbling but waiting for Him to lead your words, unhurried, or even no words is good sometimes too.
Study a little, but love a lot.
Try to strip your life of non-essential things and complexities which prevent you being available to do your Father in heaven's will and to pour out love into the lives of those who need it.
Learn to recognize which things lift up your faith and which things diminish it, and nurture and prune accordingly.
Inasmuch as you become nothing, being content just to have your basic needs met,
and devote yourself to loving your neighbor as yourself, so that they achieve their basic needs too,
then, to that degree, you will know, love and be close to God.
The more you eat, breathe, and ESSENTIALLY, practice Jesus, the more this will be you.
Ensure quiet time in your closet with God (not while your driving or doing anything else), and not babbling but waiting for Him to lead your words, unhurried, or even no words is good sometimes too.
Study a little, but love a lot.
Try to strip your life of non-essential things and complexities which prevent you being available to do your Father in heaven's will and to pour out love into the lives of those who need it.
Learn to recognize which things lift up your faith and which things diminish it, and nurture and prune accordingly.
I understand, and if it makes you feel any better, I'm going through the same thing as you are. I read the Bible, pray, and listen to sermons for several hours each day, but I can't feel closer to God. It's frustrating. I pray we both get to feel closer to him.
Give up.
Let Go.
You are a helpless nothing.
Find your strength in that.
"And the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” "
so, what IS in your hand?
Is kindness in your hand?
Is selflessness in your hand?
Is it in your hand to love your neighbor as yourself?
Is it in your hand to deny yourself?
Is it in your hand to say "I am nothing!"
Focus on, and TRY to do, WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND!!!
Read the Bible less and love your neighbor more.
And..
if you had/have a child...
what would they have to do before you would entirely give up on them?
"and if you then, being evil", would not give up on them...how much less would your Father in Heaven... Give Up on YOU?"
I love you.
This is profound, PaulNew. I believe it and agree that "A person's closeness to God is directly proportional to the level of their own self-interest."
I asked God what I should post and that just popped into my head. I don't think I had ever thought of it quite like that before yesterday.
I'll pray for you. The days feel like months when one is going through a rough time. I do feel a lot of regret that I didn't appreciate the things I had before this tragedy. Still, continue to do what you do and I'm sure you will see some changes coming soon. We have to have faith. I see some small changes happening, still I remain cautious. I thank the Lord for what he has given me everyday even though the struggle is still present.
Yes! In the process of searching God one goes through a transformation. The people that I used to hate, I don't anymore because God has taught me otherwise. I have learned to appreciate the little moments in life more than I did before. I have managed my behaviors and thoughts to certain things into more positive and loving ways. I'm in the process of shedding my ego which was the main thing that got me into this mess in the first place. By doing these things and more, I feel like I'm getting closer to God. I still have a lonnnnng way to go, but the idea is that in order to get closer to God, one has to go through major life changes within themselves.
I'm so sorry for the tragedy you're going through. Thanks so much, and I'll pray for you as well. I pray that both of us cling to the Lord no matter what. We're living by faith, which is what he wants for us. I think that's why he allows us to feel abandoned at times, though he's near. I'm so glad you're seeing some changes coming. I pray the Lord blesses you with comfort, courage, strength, and faith.
There is a book by Parker called "Prayer Can Change Your Life". It is a case study of three groups of 15 people who worked in three different ways to solve a difficult problem they were having. It gives details on how the most successful group handled their problem.
The most successful group worked at facing their sin that was separating them from God. John 9:11 We know that God does not listen to sinners, he listens to the Godly person who does His will.
As an example it spoke of a lady facing her illness. She was forced to live with a mother-in-law she did not like. She could not suddenly like her, but she acted as if she loved her. Those actions turned her feelings for her mother-in-law around.
When the stress in these people's lives were taken away by drawing closer to the Lord, then God's healing powers helped them and they drew closer to the Lord.
You can pray ineffectively, the book gives proof of or you can pray with profound effects.
Do not expect anything. Everything we do for God is the bare minimum. For he is the perfect friend. When there is no one else, he will always be at your side, even if you don't realize it.
There was a time, when I was distraught. I was homeless, bloody and broken. Sobbing in the heavy rain. As I looked up, I saw lights all around, and with the tears and rain, they formed themselves into crosses, and in that moment, I realized that in truth, God was all around me. Having my back, like. So knelt down in prayer. In the while I was there, I didn't really ask for anything, I thanked, and revered the lord. I talked about what was going on, like you would a friend. Then in silence, I started suddenly having a clear mind, and thinking of solutions to the problem, as they came, I did not ask to make these things happen, but stated how I will work to make them happen.
Then I made my request, and it was only that God will stand by my side as I make these changes, and as I got up, I wished God to have a goodnight, and got up, with the realization that perhaps these challenges were not given to me as some curse, or punishment, or that the world or God was completely unfair, but perhaps I was entrusted, to receive the challenge, to harden my spirit, and rise above it. A while after that, I started going to church, and reading the bible.
So I guess my suggestion would be, when you speak to God, treat him as you would a old friend. Talk, not just ask or revere him. Go over your day and your plans, and most importantly, give him that time to talk to you. Even if it means sitting in meditation for a while.
There was a time, when I was distraught. I was homeless, bloody and broken. Sobbing in the heavy rain. As I looked up, I saw lights all around, and with the tears and rain, they formed themselves into crosses, and in that moment, I realized that in truth, God was all around me. Having my back, like. So knelt down in prayer. In the while I was there, I didn't really ask for anything, I thanked, and revered the lord. I talked about what was going on, like you would a friend. Then in silence, I started suddenly having a clear mind, and thinking of solutions to the problem, as they came, I did not ask to make these things happen, but stated how I will work to make them happen.
Then I made my request, and it was only that God will stand by my side as I make these changes, and as I got up, I wished God to have a goodnight, and got up, with the realization that perhaps these challenges were not given to me as some curse, or punishment, or that the world or God was completely unfair, but perhaps I was entrusted, to receive the challenge, to harden my spirit, and rise above it. A while after that, I started going to church, and reading the bible.
So I guess my suggestion would be, when you speak to God, treat him as you would a old friend. Talk, not just ask or revere him. Go over your day and your plans, and most importantly, give him that time to talk to you. Even if it means sitting in meditation for a while.