Relationship with God.
God can play many different roles in our lives. Some are obvious such as His role as a Heavenly Deity that we adore and pray to. Other roles can be hidden and are revealed through constant fellowship that requires us to seek Him so we can learn more of who He truly is. These roles can include knowing God as a Friend, a Lover or a Husband. Today I want to chat about the importance of cultivating a solid relationship with God.
Do you have any friendships that have lasted for years? If you do, I am certain you can understand and appreciate the different stages that friendships go through. Remember the early stages of being completely in love with the person, and everything about them is amazing. As the years went by, you experienced the depth of the individual and realized that they were complex and sometimes you simply don’t get them or the way they think- this can be confusing or frustrating. However, because you stuck around long enough, you got to accept the weaknesses and appreciate the strengths as you realized how much you need your friend’s presence in your life. That friendship is unique and probably cannot be compared to any other friendships or associations you may have.
Relationship with God is quite like this. When we first get into a relationship with Him, we can stay drunk in the spirit and that becomes the only thing we desire. We get to see how amazing this God is, as we get introduced to the characteristics that make Him a wonder to us. Then there comes a time, as the bible states, where we must stop drinking milk and start feeding on the word of God. This stage is when we get tested, purified and matured to become adults in the faith. We move from being children to sons and daughters in God, where we are accountable, and our actions start to align to the word of God. This may be tough and confusing because it involves constant surrender and dying to self. You start to realize that you are not the only one in the family of God and He loves other people just as much as He loves you.
Even a relationship with God can have ups and downs, and I think that is allowed. These seasons reflect our human nature and have nothing to do with where God stands. As we experience different seasons in our relationship with God, it is always important to stick with Him, like we do our childhood friends. We stick with them even though we do not always understand them. Even when we are perplexed with life’s challenges, when we are disappointed at life’s outcomes, or simply weary due to long-awaited promises of God, it is vital to stick with God.
I have known God my whole life. I remember being in high school and my grandmother teasing me about the fact that I read the bible “three times a day” (obviously an exaggeration!). I also recall being in university and exploring that this God-thing isn’t really real. I remember as an adult when I started working and crying out to God and asking Him to renew my salvation which I felt I had lost in my tertiary years. I have had ups and downs, times when I hear His voice clearly and other times I fabricate things in my mind because of my selfish desires- and then say I believe God is speaking to me. I have experienced encounters of His sweet presence where He wakes me up at early hours to tell me mysteries that seem impossible. I have gone through times when I felt like God simply does not speak to me regarding certain topics. Throughout all these different encounters, good and seemingly bad, I have learned to continue running to the arms of God, whether I have messed up or gotten it right. The ability to run to God has saved me from self-condemnation and self-righteousness. He cheers me on and says “well done daughter” when I have obeyed Him and chosen Him over my selfish desires. He also lovingly and clearly corrects me when I mess up, which is quite often. As I continue to be intimate with God, I discover more about His character, and I get to learn more about who He has created me to be. All of this has not happened overnight, it took many nights of tears, worship, saving grace and wonder towards God.
We must continue to seek God and prioritize our relationship with Him. When we do this, we find all that our souls long for. All that sorrow, discouragement, depression, anxiety, loss, abuse, frustration, unfair treatment, all of it can be surrendered to Him- He can take care of your overwhelmed heart. I encourage you today to pursue your relationship with God. Do not let your brokenness, your desire to heal, your ambition, career, family, finances etc. to ever replace God. Give Him first preference, always. He passionately desires to be in an intimate relationship with you, would you let Him in?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” -Matthew 5:6
With love,
Unathi.
Well Watered Gardens 