Relationship with God

Healthy Relationship with God

Believe it or not, God will use your adversities to bring you closer to Him. I was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer in the summer of 2020. Endured 5 major surgeries, I lost a kidney, 32 lymph nodes, 75% of my right diaphragm, 15% of my liver, a section of my large intestine, my gallbladder, and a section of my abdomen wall. I turned towards God in the midst of this adversity and came out the other side of it a far better person than I was when I went into it. As I drew near to God, He drew near to me. Two morning devotions have empowered me to thrive in the face of adversity.

Attend to God’s Words

I am inspired by Proverbs 4:20. God said, “attend to my words,” which means put God’s word first. Read it, study it, learn it, meditate on it, and act on it. That is exactly what God wants me to do! He wants me to shut out everything around me and give my undivided attention to what His word is saying to me. A Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a great way to focus on God. DBS was developed by David L. Watson and Paul D. Watson and is used around the world. It is the most effective tool I have found to discover what the Bible is saying to me. 

I begin every day with a 15 to 30-minute Discovery Bible Study. I go to the bible study page on the CrossBridge website and read the Bible passage for the day, and then I meditate on six questions: 

What is going on in this passage? 

What does this passage say about God? 

What does it say about people? 

What is its good news? 

How would life change if people followed these teachings? 

What should I do (or avoid doing) to apply it to my life? 

After I meditate on each one of these questions, I then journal the answers that God gave me. I open my daily DBS time with a prayer like this: 

Father, guide me as I read and reflect on Your word today. I want to discern Your voice from the voice that comes from evil. Father, I acknowledge that the Holy Spirit never speaks to me in a way that contradicts the Holy Bible. I proclaim that I will reject what is coming from the enemy and that I will only receive and obey what is from You. Father, I welcome your Holy Spirit, speak to me as I study Your word today, I pray all these things in Jesus’s name, Amen. 

DBS is a critical part of my relationship with God. Understanding the word of God empowers me to reject.

Listen to God’s Sayings

God has taught me to listen to what He is saying. I don’t understand how it works, but God doesn’t require me to understand how it works. All He asks me to do is believe. I don’t understand how a lot of things work, but I know what makes it work. Faith in what God is saying makes it work. I open my ears to the word of God and turn off everything else so that my undivided attention is on what He has to say. That is where my victory lives. When I close my ears to outside things and keep my ears open to God, I close my ears to fear, doubt, and unbelief. When the word of God and what He communicates to me in my prayer time gains entrance into my heart and spirit, faith will be there. 

My faith in God’s word is the secret that unlocks the door to supernatural strength, hope, love, and comfort. We must learn to listen to what God has to say about every situation. We shouldn’t listen to what everyone else is saying, because sometimes their message can weaken us spiritually

Let God’s Word Not Depart from Your Eyes

I am to look as well as listen. When I am facing cancer, I look to the promises of God instead of looking at the circumstances.

When I consider my experience with cancer, I feel the presence of that condition. But I don’t respond to it. Instead, I look to what God has promised in Scripture. We need to respond to His word no matter what kind of circumstances we may be facing. Unfortunately, most people don’t want to respond to His word if it means they must live according to Scripture. They don’t want to take responsibility for changing their lifestyle. But there is great power in being faithful to God’s word: faithfulness in the good times prepares us to turn to God when times are hard. Don’t let God’s promises depart from before your eyes. They will give you life! 

After my DBS, I set aside another 15 minutes for Freedom Prayer. This time in meditation energizes me with unwavering faith. I cannot guide my boat by myself. I step inside the Ark; God wants to seal me inside it like Noah. I do my best to obey everything He places on my heart, and I rely completely on Him to guide me. I start with a prayer like this to help me focus: 

Father, You are the God of goodness, and I pray that You pour Your goodness over me today. Father, I admit that I am a sinner, and I tune my heart’s resolve to Your song. I want to live the way You say is best for me. Father, include me in the work You are doing today. I want to share Your goodness with others. I give You this time today because I love You, and I want to have a meaningful relationship with You. Father, show me what You want me to focus on, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and guide me through this day. I rely completely on You. Please show me the way.

After I repeat this prayer a few times, I silently wait for God to speak to me in meditation. I ask Him to give me an image of Jesus to warm up my mind’s eye and prepare me for what He wants to share with me. I ask God the following questions: 

• Father, what about me delights You? 
• What is something I did this week that You are celebrating? 
• In what ways am I seeking to earn Your favor rather than living by grace? 
• What does my heart need to hear most right now? 
• Is there something specific You want me to do today? 
• Is there someone You would like to bless through me today? 

I never get an answer to all my questions, but I give Him time to speak to each one. My struggle with cancer does not define my entire experience with God. Sometimes, God gives me an image of a friend or family member that needs support, or He encourages me to be bold in loving my neighbor. Sometimes, God speaks through my inner voice with something to contemplate or consider, and sometimes He gives me a specific memory or song lyrics. The Holy Spirit communicates with me when I give Him my time and focus. When I start my day with God, I am prepared to experience hope, peace, joy, and comfort, and I give thanks for God’s promises. This practice has a profound impact on the rest of my day. 

Conclusion 

The solution to many of our problems is simple, but achieving it isn’t easy. The world has become an increasingly busy place, full of distractions designed to consume as much of our attention as possible. This has proven to pull society in a direction that neglects our responsibility to remain in a healthy relationship with God. It’s time we take responsibility for making our relationship with God our top priority each day. 

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