Connect with God

The Key to Finding Your True Beauty!

We are all on a journey and each of us are at different places in our relationship with God. Some are just exploring who God is and how He can fit into their lives. Some have just begun a relationship with God, while others have been walking with God for a long time.

Wherever you are on your journey, God is close by. He longs to have a relationship with you, but won't force you to spend time with Him.

Feeling Far from God

I have to admit that I went through a time a few years ago where I felt far from God. It felt like there was a wall between God and I. I didn't feel like praying and didn't feel like reading my bible.

Maybe some of you can relate to feeling that way. Maybe you're in that place right now.

For me, I had allowed some bitterness to take root in my heart and also some unforgiveness towards some people who hurt me. They were people I trusted which made it even harder.

Finally, I allowed God to come in to my bitter and broken heart. The first step for me was forgiveness Forgiving those that hurt me, asking God's forgiveness and finally forgiving myself.

Then, it felt as if that wall between God and I was finally removed! I truly had a desire to change.

This is when I felt like I wanted to talk to God again through prayer and reading His Word.

I actually felt like a sponge -- just soaking up my time with God.

What I've found out is that connecting with God has helped me find my true beauty.

In order to not be influenced by this culture and the media, I realized that I needed to spend more time with God than I was with the culture (including the media).

If you need some ideas in how to connect with God, I've included a few I have used below. It's not a complete list - just some ideas to get you started.

Think About This Question: 
When Do You Feel Closest to God?

Whatever it is that helps you feel closest to God, do more of that activity.

For me, it's prayer walks. For one of my friends, it is dancing in her room to worship songs. For someone else it might be listening to music, spending time in nature, being silent, etc.

We are all different, so connect with God the way that works best for you.

Can I Trust the Bible as Truth?

1) Experiencing God's Presence (A method by Thom Gardner)

a) Go to a quiet place & still your thoughts & emotions (Be still & know that Iam God Psa. 46:10)

b) Meditate on a verse of scripture, saying it softly over & over to yourself until you can say it (or a portion of it) with your eyes closed. As you repeat the scripture allow yourself to see it with the eyes of your heart.

• What is the picture you see in your mind's eye as you repeat the scripture?
• What does the scripture reveal about the heart of God?
• What is the Lord speaking to you personally as you see the truth of this scripture? (Put your self in the picture of this scripture in your mind.)

c) Take time to pray, saying to God what you have seen and heard from Him today.

Scriptures to use with the Experiencing God's Presence Method

FEAR - I am not alone: Isa. 41:10, Matt. 28:20, Isa. 66:13, Psa. 121:8, Phil. 4:13, Deut. 33:27, Prov. 3:5-6, Gen. 28:15, Jer: 1:8, Isa. 44:8, Deut. 31:6, Josh. 1:9. Psa. 46:7, II Chron. 32:7, Isa. 43:1-2

REJECTION - I am accepted by my Father: Deut. 26:18, Rom. 8:16-17a, Isa. 43:1, Jn. 15:15, Rom. 8:31, Isa. 49:15-16, Rom. 8:35-39, II Thess. 2:13, Isa. 45:24-25, Jer. 23:6, Rom. 3:23-24, Rom. 14:17-18, Eph. 1:5-6

WORTHLESSNESS - The Father approves of me: Psa. 139:14, Jer. 31:3, Deut. 32:10, Isa. 43:4, Isa. 54:10, Zeph. 3:17, Gen. 1:27, Psa. 100:3, Psa. 119:73, Psa. 139:13-14, Isa. 43:21, I Cor. 15:10, II Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10, Col. 3:9-10

SHAME - I am covered with Christ: II Cor. 12:9, Isa. 61:10, Isa. 43:25, Psa. 139:7, Rom. 8:1-2, Heb. 2:11, Col. 1:22, Psa. 32:1, Gal. 3:27, Isa. 61:10a, Rom. 13:14

INSECURITY - I am safe in the arms of my Father: Psa. 125:2, Isa. 40:11, Psa. 91:4, Psa. 27:5, Isa. 43:2, Heb. 13:6, Psa. 31:14-15, Deut. 33:27a, Psa. 3:1-3, Psa. 32:10, Psa. 34:7, Psa. 121:5-8, Psa. 125:1-2, Jn. 10:27-29

DEFILEMENT - The Father has cleansed and restored me: I Pet. 4:10-11, Isa. 63:9, Jer. 30:17a, Lam. 3:22-23, Eze. 16:9, Col. 3:12, Psa. 80:3, Jer. 30:17, Eze. 16:8, Amos 9:14, Nahum 2:2

HOPELESSNESS - The Truth about Hope: Jer. 29:11, Isa. 43:19, Isa. 58:11, Isa. 50:10, Psa. 18:28, Psa. 30:5, Phil. 4:13, Psa. 130:7, Rom. 8:24-25, I Pet. 1:3-5, I Pet. 1:13, I Jn. 3:3

2) Prayerful Reading of the Scriptures (sometimes known as Lectio Divina)

• Silence - Take several deep breaths and allow the silence to quiet your inside clutter
• Read the Word - Read a brief portion of Scripture, listening for akey phrase or word
• Meditate - Reflect on what you've read. (Allow the Word to sink in from your head to your heart)
• Contemplate - In silence listen (instead of talking to God or thinking your thoughts) and allow God to speak to you. (God is constantly speaking but we seldom hear Him [I Kings 19:11-12]
• Action - How is God speaking to you through this scripture? (pray this back to Him, committing yourself to applying it)

3) Sitting in God's Presence...Centering prayer (A method from a book by Basil Pennington)

• Simply shut your eyes and enjoy the presence of the Lord.
• Look at him (focus on him) as he gazes back at you with his full loving attention and asks you to sit with him for awhile.
• Gently return your attention to him by saying his name whenever you find your mind drifting to other things.

4) Daily Examen

Take ten minutes at the end of the day to prayerfully review your day. (When did God seem present or the closest to you? When did he seem absent?)

Ideas that Encourage Peacefulness

Serenity Prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference"

Journaling is good therapy

Exercise facilitates the elimination of wastes

When you are upset, concentrate on breathing slowly & deeply

Recite a Breathe Prayer in conjunction with your breathing, such as "The Lord is my shepherd"

Recite & repeat a godly affirmation when you need calming, such as God's peace is within me

Spend 5-10 minutes meditating on a bible verse

Go for a walk

Talking is the activity of the mouth; listening is the activity of the heart. Take time to listen to God and others

Practice awareness of God in times of blessing, so that God's presence is familiar in times of trouble

Let Your God-Given Emotions Help

Each time you find yourself irritated or angry with someone, the one to look at is not that person, but yourself. Instead of asking, What's wrong with this person? Ask, What does this irritation tell me about myself? What's going on inside of me that this emotion is trying to tell me?

About the Author

Recommended Reading

Healing the Wounded Heart by Thom Gardner

My Healing Journey: A companion to Healing the Wounded Heart by Thom Gardner (workbook)

Biblical Healing and Deliverance by Chester & Betsy Kylstra

Waking the Dead by John Eldridge