Growing in our relationship with God can be serious and tedious work. It calls for discipline, commitment and sometimes even sacrifice. But just like any healthy relationship, we're not the only ones doing all the work. In fact, such a great amount of work of building and strengthening this relationship we have with God is a product of what God has already done for us through Christ.
Psalm 34:8 invites us saying, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" It's provoking to think that God would invite us to "taste" His goodness—something that takes no effort on our part! No one ever says that tasting, eating and drinking are a chore.
In the same way, there are times when growing in God can be effortless because God has already done His part. Here are five ways to effortlessly grow in our intimacy with God.
1. Rely on God's Grace
Everything we enjoy today is simply God's way of making His grace evident to us. God's grace is His unmerited favour that He gives to us not based on our own performance but on His faithfulness. As we rely on God's grace daily, we will find our relationship with Him grow more and more.
2. Be Still
God declares through the psalmist in Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Sometimes all it takes is to be still and quiet in God's presence and let Him do the talking and working in us.
3. Talk to Him in Your Down Times
Whether you're waiting for a doctor's appointment, driving in traffic, lining up at a fast food chain or just at home with some down time, you can take those opportunities to talk to God and communicate with Him. We can tap into God's presence effortlessly at any given time of the day.
4. Enjoy His Creation
I find that the times I get to run are great moments to appreciate the things around me while I acknowledge God's fingerprint in all creation. God made everything and He made everything good. Us choosing to see that goodness in the things around us will cause us to appreciate and trust God more.
5. Look to the Cross
Whatever barrier is between us and God has now been broken through the power of the cross. If we want to experience Christ's goodness, we don't have to work for it because He already died for it. All we have to do is look to the cross and claim that it is more than enough for us to experience God's goodness.
