5 Tips for Seeking Jesus More Intentionally

As we continue to practice social distancing or remain in self-isolation, many of you have extra free time on your hands.

I’ve heard many of you express a desire to use this opportunity to seek Jesus in a deeper more intentional way. 

Even if you don’t have extra time on your hands, trials tend to press us into God. And those of us without the extra time are realizing that we need to make time to more intentionally seek Jesus.

Sometimes though, it’s hard to actually follow through on our desires. On the one hand, it’s a battle. On the other hand, often we don’t really know how to start growing in our relationship with Jesus.  

Here are a few tips to help you follow through on your desire to use this time wisely and actually begin growing in your relationship with Jesus.

 

Ask God to finish what He started

None of us naturally seeks after God. If you have a desire to seek Him, it is because God Himself has placed that desire in your heart. 

Your desire for a deeper relationship with Jesus is a desire that He Himself has given to you. It is given because He wants to fulfill it. 

Even more, than you want to know God, He wants to reveal Himself to you. Believe that. 

Begin by simply thanking Him for giving you a hunger for more of God. 

Think back to a time you didn’t desire God. Look at the people around you who don’t want to know God. Even your humble desire to spend this season seeking Jesus is a precious gift. Give God thanks for changing your heart to hunger for Him. 

And then ask for more. 

The Bible promises “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6) Pray that the Lord will increase your hunger for Him and that He will fulfill the longing that He has placed in your heart. 

Ask the Lord for strength to seek Him, for grace to prioritize your relationship with Jesus over all the other things that clamour for your attention. 

Ask for insight into His word. Ask for intimacy in prayer. Ask for a deeper enjoyment of God. 

These are prayers that God delights to answer. 

 

Get in God’s Word

The Bible is the primary way we know God. If you want to grow in your relationship with Jesus, the number one best thing you can do is get in God’s Word. 

The Bible tells us who God is and what He is like. Instead of watching YouTube or re-reading your favourite fiction, try spending more time in the Bible and watch how your relationship with Jesus grows. 

For more on how to read, study, and memorize the Bible check out these other articles I’ve written: 

• 4 Common Myths About Bible Reading
• Why We Read the Bible & Pray
• Make Bible Study a Priority
• How to Start Memorizing Scripture

Learn to Pray

I intentionally said learn to pray instead of just pray because for most of us, praying is hard. Even though it’s really just a conversation, it’s can feel awkward when we can’t see or hear the Person we are talking to. 

Prayer was something I had to learn and practice before I really felt comfortable praying for more than 5 minutes. So don’t get discouraged if it’s hard at first. Keep praying. If you can, pray with others and learn from them. Read what the Bible says about prayer. 

Prayer is absolutely vital to our relationship with God because conversations are absolutely vital to relationships. You can’t do deep in any relationship without conversation. Don’t expect to go deep with Jesus without prayer. 

For more on how to pray, check out these other articles I’ve written: 

• Why We Read the Bible & Pray
• Trusting God When it Feels like He’s Not There
• Help to Overcome Distraction When You Pray

Take Time to be Still 

Instead of using your extra time to scroll social media, watch Netflix or YouTube, use it to get away from the screens, the news, and the alternate realities we like to distract our minds with and be still and know that God is still God. 

Use this time to rest and to be still and silent before God. 

I recently wrote an entire article on why I believe this is so important. You can read it here.

 

Make a Plan

If you don’t already have one, make a plan for yourself. I can’t encourage you to do this enough! Even if you’re not the planner type of person, create a flexible plan. If you don’t plan when you will pray or when you will read the Bible, you will probably get to midnight and realize you never did it. 

Don’t leave your desire to read the Bible as a desire. Decide when you are going to do it (morning, afternoon, evening) and what you’re going to read (ie. from cover to cover, the New Testament, a Bible reading plan your church is going through). 

 

+ + +

 

I’m so grateful that God is using our current circumstances to create a longing for Jesus in our hearts! May our longing for Him increase more and more, and may our knowing Him become sweeter as the trial stretches on. 

Let’s talk

• Do you have a desire for more of Jesus? 
• How are you intentionally using this opportunity to seek Him?