My last post explored two aspects of God’s character: the disciplinarian and the deeply loving Father. Appreciating both is essential to developing a genuine relationship with Him and marks the beginning of deep intimacy. Seeing God through the dual lenses of love and discipline helps us understand Him more fully and lays the foundation for a closer, more intimate walk with Him.

I am grateful to have wonderful parents, but my relationship with them has grown significantly since I became an adult. As I’ve gained a deeper understanding of some of their stricter rules and the difficult decisions they made, I’ve been able to see their hearts more clearly and fully appreciate their love for me. I now recognize that many of those actions flowed from a place of love and a desire to guide and train me in the best way they knew how. That level of understanding came with maturity, time spent together, and meaningful conversations.

In the same way, we can only fully appreciate the many dimensions of God’s character by maturing in our faith and intentionally spending time with Him through prayer, meditation, and reading the Bible. While we may never fully understand God or the reasoning behind all of His actions on this side of heaven, we can begin that journey today by committing to knowing Him more deeply. Our relationship with Him grows through intentionality. Scripture reminds us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8, NKJV), and “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, NKJV).

Getting to know God deeply is one of the best decisions you can make. The Bible tells us, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, NKJV), and “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4, NKJV).

Throughout Scripture, we read about people who pleased God and lived blessed lives, Abraham, Job, and David, to name a few. Their lives were not free from hardship, yet they experienced God’s favor and His comfort in times of sorrow, comfort that only He can provide. As Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NIV). Scripture also reminds us, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Though our human experience can include pain and difficulty, God gives us victory, and in the end, everything will be okay if we commit to loving God and serving Him. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT).

Walking through life with a deep and intimate relationship with God is one of the best decisions you will ever make. I encourage you this year to be intentional about growing closer to Him through prayer and reading the Bible. Make it a goal to read the Bible in its entirety. While reading portions gives us glimpses of God’s character, reading the whole Bible provides a broader and richer understanding of who He is. Each reading reveals more, but at the very least, aim to read it once.

This year, my personal goal is to pursue a deeper, more intimate relationship with God, and I hope you will join me on this journey. Start by creating a Bible reading plan, and feel free to reach out and let me know how you’re doing. We can encourage and support one another as we grow together.