How to Spend Time with God

When I first became a Christian nearly 12 years ago, I was amazed at the Christians I got to know. Many of them talked openly about their relationship with God and how meaningful it was in their life. They talked about God like He was a close and personal friend. I stood in amazement, wondering how something so spiritual was possible.

As I grew in my faith, I began to ask many people I respected how they had developed such a close walk with God. I dared to think I could have something in my life equally as strong. "Spend time with Him" was a frequent response I heard. While it sounded great, I really had no idea what it meant. God was not someone I could just call up and make an appointment with for lunch on Tuesday. Or, was He?

What would I say? What would I do? I really didn't know Him very well, after all. In time, however, I established the discipline of spending time with Him on a daily basis. By experimenting with different things, I learned what to do each day to help me get to know Him during those precious times.

While there is no perfect formula for spending time with God, there a few things you can do to help you get to know Him in a more deep and personal way.

1 Make a daily appointment. This one is the most important. It's easy to let things get in the way of your time with God. You will be amazed at how many great things will pop up and tempt you to abandon this important time. Write it in your appointment book if you have to. For me, first thing in the morning is the best time. If I wait for the day to start, I will get so busy, my time gets pushed aside.

2.Make a prayer list and pray over it. Even as a rather seasoned Christian, I find myself struggling with what to pray for during a quiet time with God. If I don't come to my prayer time with a list, things start to go awry. My mind starts to wander and I start to lose my focus. When I have my list and I start to drift, I look to see what is next. I update this list monthly. I also note answers and other relevant information for future reference.

3. Read your Bible. Before you start a Bible reading plan, have some idea of what you want to accomplish in mind. Don't just open your Bible to a random page and start reading. A quick search on the Internet will give you many options of what to read and how to do it. Go to your local Christian bookstore and ask an associate for books to help you study your Bible. Or, set a goal of what you want to read over a time period. Buy a study Bible with notes to explain some of the more confusing passages. These things will help your Bible study time be more meaningful. Then, start reading according to your plan. God will reveal Himself in powerful ways while you spend time in His word.

4. Spend time praising Him. Sometimes we get so caught up on the prayers we are praying, we forget to thank God. As we reflect on what God has done in our life and those around us, we can't help but feel blessed. Make a list just like you did for your prayers, and daily praise God for specific things. Also, make sure you thank God for answered prayers. How often do we pray and pray for something, and when it is answered, simply cross it off of our list? Thank God for all the ways He answers your prayers, even if you don't always like the answer initially. Times of praise can be very sweet times that you get to know God better.

5. Memorize His Word. This one sounds intimidating to those of us who don't have good memories. But, memorizing God's word is a great way to understand who God is. The passage you choose to memorize doesn't have to be long. There are plenty of verses that are very short. Chose a portion of Scripture that really speaks to where you are in life and commit it to memory. This great practice also helps you not only grow closer to God, it also gives you access to His Word anytime, even if you don't have a Bible nearby.

For new and old Christian alike, spending time with God is one of the most important things you can do in your Christian walk. As you seek to find ways to spend time with Him, you will find it both rewarding and fulfilling. The great thing about God is that He doesn't take appointments. He is available anytime.