Getting closer to God is not an easy task, but it is highly rewarding. It involves certain deliberate and consistent actions. While some freely see the need to get closer to God, others don’t until faced with adversity.
Someone once contacted me for Spiritual guidance, saying: “I have been dealing with setbacks and depression. I have even considered suicide or money rituals. But someone you helped in a similar condition recommended you to me.”
See how God sometimes uses adversity to get our attention. But you don’t have to wait for adversity! Take that decision now and get closer. I will share with you five practical ways to revive your spiritual life and get closer to God, the fifth one would interest you. If you’re interested, continue reading slowly…
Cf. Exodus 19:2-6
..Moses [then] went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my Covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”’
POINTS FOR REFLECTION
Child of God, getting closer to God involves nothing but OBEDIENCE to God and PERSEVERANCE or Consistency in the covenant you have with God. (Covenant means an agreement that is legally and spiritually binding). God dictates this to Moses and sets the reward, saying: I will count you a ‘KINGDOM OF PRIESTS’ a consecrated nation!
Here are practical things to do to revive your spiritual life and get closer to God:
1. Read the Bible daily and Meditate on the Word
To obey God you must know God’s word, that is, what God had said and what God is saying. The first is known by reading the Bible and the latter is by meditation. The problem many encounter is how to read it or where to begin reading.
The Bible is not a story book, thought it contains stories, it is not history, though it contains some historical events, hence it is meant to be digested a little at a time, day after day, over and over again. It is a unique book such that one can never say they have finished reading it. The more you read, the more insights you get. It will teach you about God’s love and help you feel comforted and encouraged.
2. Pray with the Word and Act according to it.
You’ll get closer to God the more often you communicate with God in Prayer. Prayer is more effective when we pray with the Word of God. The more Word we know, the better our prayer because God’s Word addresses many situations, filling us with faith and giving us confidence to trust it, for God cannot lie! For this reason it is highly encouraged to read and meditate on the bible during devotional prayers like the Rosary as it illuminates the mysteries and improves participation.
It does not end there, acting according to the Word completes it and results in divine manifestation and miracles.
3. Sing Hymns or Listen to Godly music
Music is a powerful method of connecting more deeply with God. Hymns bear the truth of the mystery of Christian faith and projects it for our wonder and praise. Thus singing hymns and worship songs is one of the best ways to feel uplifted in moments suffering, and connecting to the mystery of faith.
4. Connect with a Small Christian group
You cannot keep a relationship with God in isolation. The bible says: “iron sharpens iron…” (Prov 27:17); “where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20). God will always direct you to an assembly, because God’s Word was not given to the prophets and writers in isolation but for the assembly of believers. Likewise the sacraments, they were dispensed by Christ in the assembly. It is self-deceit thinking we can get closer to God without being part of a faith assembly.
Whether you can connect with a church in-person or online, do so. It will do you good to connect with a small group of fellow believers who will encourage you, pray for you, and lift you up. This is a call to belong to a pious society or devotion in church or online, it will help you.
5. Help others get closer to God
This is actually where the main reward lie but many avoid it! They say I want to live my life freely, I don’t want to be a pastor, a priest or a Rev. Sister! This is ignorance and I laugh at it! Who said you must be called into “active ministry” before you preach? Listen and learn! God promises those who are close to Him saying: “I will count you a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, a CONSECRATED NATION”.
‘Kingdom of priests’ in Hebrew is mamlechet kohanim. The Hebrew word kohen, like the name Cohen, means “priest.” And it doesn’t refer only to the family of Aaron who served as priests in the Tabernacle and Temple. Even the pagan “priests” in the Bible are called kohen. In other words, a kohen is someone who helps people get closer to the god that they are worshipping.
And so, when God called Israel a “kingdom of priests,” He gave them a very distinct mission. Like a priest, it would be the job of the Jewish people, the entire kingdom of priests, to help the rest of the world get closer to God. No wonder St Peter identifies every Christian believer by this mission saying:
…You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9)
And so the command to evangelise the world is not for those called to ministry, you can do so in your own little way. Remember the story I said at the beginning- of the person that asked for Spiritual guidance, he was sent to me by someone who had benefited from my spiritual guidance. This means that once we experience the presence of God by our closeness, the onus lies on us to invite others to that experience.
TASK
If you have taken the decision today to get closer to God, God bless your decision and help you fulfil it, and I use this opportunity to invite you to pray with me daily in this family of prayer: “Come Let’s Pray Catholic Ministry” on all social platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, Twitter, and WhatsApp. This will help you with the fourth requirement – to connect with a small Christian group. Links to my profiles on all social media will be made available below:
PRAYER
I pray for you: may the Lord draw you to Himself and preserve you in His peace, that you may reject the ways of darkness and experience the liberation power of His light. Amen
