1. Drop your guard.
You’re never going to learn anything unless you can first admit you need the help. Spiritual growth and pride don’t mix. So if you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding of God’s glorious power, you must first learn to remove yourself from the picture and allow the Spirit of God to consume you. Take a step back and trust in the promise of God’s Word. Strip away your fears and skepticisms, and open your heart to be radically altered for the sake of a spiritual transformation.
“To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is: “He leads the way, keep close to him.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer
2. Serve God. Serve People.
No matter the way one will find themselves serving the cause of Christ, selflessness must play a role if one hopes to find a deeper understanding of their spiritual journey.
When one serves they must understand the reality that everything one has is from God in the first place. Therefore, the point of serving God is not to be blessed by God, but to grow closer to him in the process. Serving God, The Church, and the needs of others is to do that of Jesus during his time here on earth.
One of the principal rules of religion (Christianity) is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbor; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us.” -John Wesley
3. Love without limits.
1 John 4:19 states, “We love because he first loved us.” And when it comes to us showcasing that love to the people around us, we must use every opportunity available to demonstrate it. We see in the Bible that the love of God was shown through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. This love was without limits, sufficient for all people, and done without anything expected in return. In the same way, we as Christians must engage in a lifestyle of loving our neighbors. In showcasing this love will we find ourselves gaining a deeper understanding of who Jesus is in our lives. Why? Because to know God is to know love.
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” -1 John 4:8
4. Unplug from distraction.
Whether your distractions are found in social media, mobile devices, or toxic friendships, in order to truly engage in a deeper relationship with Jesus, one must first understand the importance of unplugging from the infection of distraction. This means you may need to take time away from a current relationship, break away from your current community of friends, or even take a step back from social activities. Whatever your distractions may be, they are not worth keeping if they are hindering you from engaging in a relationship with the only person that truly matters; Jesus. Do away with distractions and fix our eyes on Jesus.
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
