Pastor Lawson Perdue

The more you understand God’s character, the more you want to grow in your relationship with Him. Knowing the truth about God makes you want to grow closer to Him. Not understanding God’s true nature and character hinders your relationship with Him. For example, if you believe that God put sickness on you or took things from you to teach you a lesson, you won’t want a relationship with Him.But when you understand that God is always good and for you, you want to be in a close relationship with Him!

Many ask, “What does it mean to have a relationship with God?” It means knowing Him personally through Jesus, who made that relationship possible. God desires to have a relationship with people and has initiated that relationship by sending Jesus Christ to pay the price for all sin so that we can choose to be in a relationship with God. Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves—that’s grace—and grace is the key that opens the door to a relationship with God. When you accept the finished work on the cross as payment for your sins, God is in you because the Holy Spirit dwells in you (Romans 8:11). Any relationship requires communication, and God communicates through His Word and the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 shows us how God communicates through the Holy Spirit to us, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” The Creator of the universe loves you and communicates with you. Now, that’s a relationship made in heaven!

Like any good relationship, you want the relationship to grow. James 4:8 shows us how to build a relationship with God: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” God has placed His Spirit in believers, so He made the first step towards closeness to us. We must also choose to be close to Him and build a deeper relationship.Imagine how your marriage or employment relationships would fare if you decided not to make a deeper relationship or remained distant in those relationships. When we choose to take steps to draw nearer to God, we build a better relationship and recognize more truth about God’s character in the process.

You might be wondering, “What are practical steps to strengthen my relationship with God?” Start by spending time in the Word and communicating with Him through prayer. The most important way to strengthen your relationship comes from spending time in the Word of God. As you study the Bible and understand God’s true character, you’ll see that He placed sickness and sin on Jesus at the cross, making forgiveness and healing available to us (Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:16–17, and 1 Peter 2:24). This is not something we are born knowing; we learn it from the Scriptures.

Another way to strengthen your relationship is through talking to God in prayer. The Bible says in several places to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18, Romans 12:12, and Colossians 4:2). Prayer is more than just asking for things; it is a way to praise God, ask forgiveness, and intercede for others. Relationships thrive with good communication, and prayer is a way to communicate with God constantly. Part of communication is speaking, but healthy communication also requires listening. As you meditate on God’s Word and pray, He will talk to your spirit (Jeremiah 33:3, John 10:27, and Romans 10:17).

Throughout my years of pastoring, people have asked me, “How do I balance my daily life while prioritizing my spiritual growth?” I believe the answer is to put God first, and the rest of your daily life will balance better. When we prioritize God and give him first place in our lives, our actions, emotions, and words will align with Him and His desires for us. Matthew 22:37 tells us, “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” When I prioritize God first, I grow closer to Him and become more like Him in how I live so that others see Him in me. I want my life to be a testimony of the goodness of God that encourages others to enjoy a relationship with Him.

My conclusion is simple: understanding God’s character, that He is for you, not against you, will help you grow in your relationship with Him and trust Him for help. Remember, God is your answer, not your problem.

To learn more about this topic from Pastor Lawson, download his free three-part teaching, “The Truth About God,” from CharisChristianCenter.com. You can teach your children to know God’s true nature by downloading and using our free children’s curriculum, Year 1, 1st Quarter, “Who Is God?” Join us at Charis Christian Center to learn what the Bible says about God’s character and how to grow in your relationship with God. Our services are on Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM.