7 IMPORTANT Tips when Finding Jesus

I remember my journey in finding God like it was yesterday. It wasn’t really finding God either, because He was there the entire time. In fact, I am who was found.

I’ve known God my whole life. My mom would pray every single night, and on Sunday’s we went to Catholic church. I never could understand the singing man with a stick, but I was always excited to go shake the hands of the people who sat by you. When he instructed, “Now say hi to someone next to you,” I jumped up to shake as many hands as I could. I had no idea why we went every Sunday, but we did.

Later in life, my mom began taking us to a Christian church. I was in middle school and, like many kids my age unfortunately, I was cutting my wrists and thighs. About twice, I took as many tylenols as I could, thinking they would kill me, and sleep hoping I wouldn’t wake.

When we stepped into their Wednesday night service, they had a guest speaker that night. The guest speaker was a suicide survivor. He spoke of his insane near death experience, and how God saved him. I was holding back tears, because it touched my heart so much. I told God I would never hurt myself again, and I stayed true to that. I began a deeper belief in God, but I wasn’t fully committed to church. So, I prayed nightly but that’s as far as my relationship with God was at the time.

In college, my best friend started going to a young adult group. She would invite me week after week, but I thought it sounded boring. One Thursday afternoon, she dragged me there. I sat thinking I’d be wasting an hour of my life only to hear a Pastor speak of pain I had felt my whole life and how God broke his chains free. In tears, I chose to dedicate my life to God and seek this God that everyone was speaking about.

And let me tell you, He showed up BIG time.

Here are 7 Tips I’d give you while you are seeking God’s heart:

1. Grace

Give yourself grace. Sometimes we may feel silly that God would want to love us. We carry that weight of shame, guilt, doubt, and not good enough. One thing I learned is, God CREATED you. He knows what your heart desires. He knows you were going to mess up PLENTY. He knows the world would hurt you. And He still loves the heck out of you and moves mountains just… for… you. Just like He went through so many lengths to show me He was there and saw my pain even after I was probably a big disappointment.

2.Listen

God will speak to you. He speaks to everyone in different ways. He may speak to you in dreams, make your heart heavy for something, make a queasy feeling in your tummy when He wants you to do something, He can speak through signs and wonders, and you may even hear Him. Open your heart and eyes and ears to His word. He wants an intimate relationship with us. He doesn’t want religion. He would rather you spend time with him than prioritize showing up to church to look like you are about Him.

3.You don’t have to pray any certain ways.

You know it doesn’t tell us in the bible that if you bow your head and close your eyes, God will hear you. It doesn’t say if you use the best vocabulary and say it with passion, God will hear you better. God doesn’t care who what when how. God cares you show up. I talk to him while I clean, while I drive, while I think a negative thought and go, “ Oops sorry God thats not of you.” And He hears every word.

4.Actually Read the Bible

I know it can be really difficult to read and interpret. I have to read a chapter in 3 different versions, and google interpretations to even feel like I have some sort of grasp of what He is saying. But, His book is truth. It is a secret manual He has left for us to get tot know him. It entails his characteristics, His story. Just like when you meet a friend, you ask them questions and they answer with their life stories and history. The Bible is God’s history, it’s God’s love story to you. It will tell you exactly who He is. He is a Good God.

5.Keep a Journal

I like to write things down. It helps me to remember. If I see a word multiple places, hear a verse that stood out to me, feel like God is saying something to me, I write it down or take a photo. I don’t know what it is, but having this written journal helps me to become closer to God and better hear Him. It helps me discern his voice, really know if its a message from God.

6.Ask God Questions

Alot of my time with God is asking Him questions and listening. I may spend time in the bible, then later on in the day hear a worship song, and then later when I find quiet time, talk to him. I’ll ask, “God am I making the right decision? God is there anything you want me to pay attention to? God what is the next step?” After I ask, I listen. I don’t keep talking, because if I ramble on about what is going on how am I going to hear Him? Take a moment and really hear what God is telling you. Practice and it becomes easier to be able to tell when it is Him.

7.Ask women of faith

I have a spiritual momma. Her name is Alex and I would go to her asking a million questions on how to hear from God. I often heard her speak of her God stories and how Gold told her to do this or that. I would go to her and ask how she knew she heard. She ended up mentoring me and showing me how to read the bible, how to talk to God, and hear God. She would meet with me weekly to bring me closer to Him, and it helped me grow tremendously. Find a woman who speaks of Jesus, and go to her with any question you have. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Xo,

E