*This post is extracted from the new Symphony Of Heaven Blog due to people still visiting here. Please visit and subscribe to the new Blog to view all new posts*
Pursuing God is a journey we begin when we surrender our life to God. It is not a journey of trying to find Him. It is a journey where He is with us at all times, but we start discovering His world and being more sensitive to His character, desires and plans. We pursue God because we love Him. His ultimate goal for us is an intimate relationship with Him.
1. Remove guilt.
Guilt tops my list of things that can keep you away from God. Guilt has the power to make you feel things that does not exist. It can make you feel separated from God, hated by God, unworthy of God and unloved by God.
You cannot be in a relationship with God if you are living in guilt. Through the death of Jesus Christ, God has provided a means of removing guilt, thus opening the way for believers to know the blessings of a right relationship with him. [Click to Tweet]
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:14 )
Wash away all guilt.
2. Person over matter.
There is a difference between pursuing God and pursuing what He has. Every blessing should lead you to the source. The gift is not as valuable as the giver. Once, somebody asked me to pray for their broken relationship. The relationship was restored and I have never seen them ever since. I realised they loved what God can do more than God Himself.
In your pursuit of God, value knowing God more than receiving what He has. [Click to Tweet]
3. God loves you more than you love Him.
I was once having a really bad day and it felt as though God was not even listening to any of my prayers. He seemed quiet and distant. Being in this state of mind, I sensed a thought in me that suggested that I love God more than He loves me. I felt like, here I was living for God, exercising faith and doing many things in church & ministry, yet not able to get His attention in a way I wanted.
Thankfully, I was quick to get rid of that thought. I realised, that can never be true. God proved His love for us on the cross and there is no greater expression of love than that. [Click to Tweet] He desires to draw closer to you than we will ever desire Him. He loves you more than you will ever love Him.
4. You don’t need to fix everything first.
We do not have to fix ourselves before reaching out to God. He is the deliverer, restorer & healer. [Click to Tweet]
Do not put your journey with God on hold until you sort it all out. That will never happen. The good news is that God is willing to be with you when you make the right choices AND when you make the wrong ones. All you need to do is seek Him and He is willing to save you. He can do a much better job of saving you than you can.
5. From acceptance, not For.
You can never seek God for acceptance because you are already accepted the minute you give your life to God. How often do we see people do things to feel accepted, loved and for a sense of belonging? A fear of God that releases a fear of rejection is never from God. Fear of God always draws us closer to Him and makes us conscious of being accepted and loved by God. [Click to Tweet]
This is a big deal because knowing that you are already a son/daughter of God can take your relationship with God to a whole new level. Remember you are not pursuing God for acceptance. (I wish I could write more on this, a blog post later for sure!)
6. Time Spent Together.
We will never achieve closeness in any relationship unless we invest time and effort. A neglected relationship simply won’t grow in richness or depth. You may read a chapter of your bible everyday, but that does not mean you are building your relationship with God. Are you too busy to spend time sitting in His presence everyday? If yes, your schedule is robbing you of an awesome eternal treasure—deep, satisfying communion with God.
Pursuing God requires your time, resources and energy. God is interested in having a conversation with you. He is not one of those prayer boxes in church where you drop your requests. Be still and listen, giving Him time to speak to your spirit. The more you listen, the more you’ll hear His voice, and soon your time with Him will become your greatest delight.
7. Vulnerability.
Another important factor is our willingness to be open and honest, exposing every area of our lives to the Lord. No one can be forced into an intimate friendship with God. In fact, the depth of this relationship is limited by the extent of our transparency with Him. Although the natural response is to shrink from such vulnerability, we need to remember that He already knows us inside out and loves us more than we can comprehend. God’s love for us is greater than our shame and regrets. [Click to Tweet]
8. Faith makes it possible.
Pursuing God includes obeying His word and living a life that honours Him. Very often we face circumstances in life that challenges our commitment to Him and His standards. You will need faith to choose the right over wrong, truth over lies and integrity over success. Faith is what fuels your journey with God. [Click to Tweet]
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Discuss:
What are your challenges in pursuing God?
How do you grow in your relationship with God?
*This post is extracted from the new Symphony Of Heaven Blog due to people still visiting here. Please visit and subscribe to the new Blog to view all new posts*
Symphony of Heaven 