A Prayer for Growth in Your Relationship with God - Your Daily Prayer - July 23

A Prayer for Growth in Your Relationship with God
By Christine F. Perry

Bible Reading:
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

Listen or Read Below:

I was recently given “Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically” by John Snyder. In week two, it shared the two reasons we don’t grow in our understanding of God. The first reason is pride. The second reason is deceit.

I’m ashamed to admit this, but I immediately thought, “No, I don’t think that’s true of me.” As soon as I thought that, I realized my pride and deception rose to the surface.

I wish my heart weren’t so ugly. I wish my mind weren’t riddled with pride. I wish my will wasn’t so set on everything that opposes God. I want to cower away, but I have to remind myself that God does not condemn me. He provided a way despite my sin.

The Lord brought to mind something that happened. I was a teenager, and I had to admit to my dad that I had been deceptive and I had been encouraging a pursuit from a man who was several years older than me. I was ashamed to admit it. But this young man’s character, or lack thereof, was being revealed. I thought my dad would be upset or disappointed. Instead, he listened attentively and patiently. He asked me questions to get the whole story. That was all. He just wanted to hear from me. I was informed that I would not be seeing or hearing from this young man again. At that point, however, I had already distanced myself.

I pray I never forget how tender and protective my dad was of me. He didn’t just leave it at that, either. My dad met with that young man face-to-face to hear his side of the story. He then told him he needed to stay away from me.

When we go through trials, mistakes, and extended periods of waiting, we often get to know God better. It’s similar to when you have a conflict with someone. If you work it out peaceably, you can actually learn more about that person through working through the problem.

C.S Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.”

No matter how far away you may feel from God, you can draw near. He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). And, if you’ve known the Lord for a long time, there is always more to know and more to learn. We will fail. We will fall short. We will make mistakes, but God is with us every step of the way, and He’s not going anywhere.

Let’s pray that we will grow in our relationship and in our understanding of Him.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please forgive us for our pride and our deceit. I pray that You would help us to have humble hearts so that we can get to know You better. I pray that as we draw near to You, You would show us where we have been wrong so we can keep short accounts with You.

Lord, You say that You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble (James 4:6). Father, we need Your help. We want to know You better, but we often let too many things come before You. Please help us to seek You first so we can grow closer to You. Please help us make much of You, not ourselves. We need You. We love You. Help us to grow in our walks with You.

Amen!

Discuss today’s devotional with others in the Your Daily Prayer thread on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImagese/SergioYoneda

Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine's work at her website:  Learning to be fearless and her Patreon.

Related Resource: What to Do When God Seems Distant

What do we do when God no longer feels as close as He used to feel?

Many sincere believers experience seasons when prayer feels empty, Scripture feels quiet, and God seems strangely absent. For leaders especially, those seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even shameful.

In this episode of the Unhurried Living Podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss the new book When God Seems Distant, coauthored with John Coe. If this episode helps you recenter your work and life on God, be sure to follow Unhurried Living on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!