Knowing the Father

What does it really look like to know the Lord? How can I know Him better?

Many times in my Christian walk, I find myself hyper-focused on the "tasks" of Christianity. Have I read my Bible this morning? Have I done enough Bible Studies? Did I give a good enough answer in my small group? I find myself consumed in a task-based list of things to do, and forget there is a good, loving Father right in front of me.

If you're a Christian, you know how easily you can over complicate it. It can so easily become religion-based off of your own actions, and less of an intimate relationship of knowing the Lord.

Recently, I've been doing a study over Biblical Disciplines on strengthening your faith and learning to know God more deeply. (The study is by She Reads Truth called "Faith in Practice, and I HIGHLY recommend it.) The author of the study explained it so well that spiritual disciplines are simply means of knowing God better. (Spiritual disciplines include: study, fasting, prayer, sabbath, solitude, fellowship, etc.) Before I had started this study, I would constantly be in the mindset that these disciplines were the substance of my salvation; that was far from the truth. (Eph. 2:8-9)

The truth is, we weren't saved by Jesus so we could know the most Bible verses or say the best prayer. We were ultimately saved so we could meet with the Father and have relationship with Him. But with this in mind, I don't want to get away from the fact that these spiritual disciplines are so so helpful and truly beneficial to knowing the Lord more intimately. Its finding a balance of putting your full security in the Lord and not your own works, but also acknowledging the benefits of spiritual disciples.

When we begin to have a deeper understanding of God, we will understand the depth of following Him. We will understand His love for us to a deeper level. We begin to think less of ourselves, and more about knowing our good Father. Someone once said this to me, and it has always stuck with me,

"Our goal should be to fall in love with God more, and more everyday."

When we can know the Lord better, not only will we feel more loved, but we will fall in love with Him more deeply.

So, it might seem daunting to get to know the Creator of the universe, but in reality, He already fully knows you and is knocking on your door to get to know Him. Here are some Biblical, practical, and Christ focused ways to knowing God:

1) Getting in the Word and Learning His Voice -

John 10:3-5 puts it like this - we are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd. The sheep know the good shepherd's voice, and that is when they follow Him. If we are not getting in the Word, how can we truly recognize God's voice when He is speaking to us in the chaos? There is power in consistency. Sometimes it can be easier said than done, but continuing to study, and dive into the Bible is a crucial way to be familiar with God's voice, and understand where He is leading you. This Bible isn't about self-perfection or judgement, but instead a book leading you closer and closer to the Maker. Don't overload yourself by making this a task to accomplish; feel free to start with a chapter a day!

2) Prayer -

HuffPost states that around 65 percent of divorces were caused by poor communication in their marriages. Genuine and strong relationships are never one way, but continuous conversations of the ups and downs in life. Strong relationships take strong communication. Prayer is essential in knowing the Lord, because it calls us to simply have a conversation and take time to listen to the Holy Spirit. Whether its on your car ride home, while laying in bed, or down on your knees in surrender, God wants to hear it all.

3) Serving Others -

If you want to understand your favorite influencer or celebrity, you might take the time to see how they live their lives, their routines, and then attempt to model it. The Bible gives us a perfect example of a perfect person to model - Jesus. Jesus came as a humble servant, so when we begin to serve others and follow His example, we begin to understand Him and His motives even better. Take the time to serve the people around you! Encourage them. Help them when they're down. Make yourself uncomfortable for their sake; be willing to get your hands dirty to make their feet clean. By serving others, we get to step more into the role of a disciple of Christ and understand the Father.

---

2 Peter 3:18 - " But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be all the glory now and forever! Amen."

2 Peter 3:18 brings a great point that we must grow in grace and knowledge. It won't be instant gratification; there will always be more to know about an infinite God. Knowing our good Father brings freedom to a burdened world, and know that its a process! Relationships take effort, time, and sacrifice, but investing in knowing God will bear more fruit than we could ever imagine.