When I started dating my husband, I thought I knew him relatively well.  But, as I got to know him more, I realized some of the preconceived notions I had about him were untrue.  In fact, I’m still learning about him!  He can still surprise me.  Our relationship is a life-long journey of learning to love and be loved through getting to know each other more deeply.

This is true in our relationship with God as well.  Perhaps you have experienced a time when God blew away or gently chipped away at a preconceived notion you held about Him.  (I’d love to hear about it, so please share in the comments!)  As our relationship matures and we come to know Him more deeply, our love for Him will grow.  Take a look at Paul’s letter to the Philippians in Chapter 1, verse 9, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,”

Knowledge is the way in which love grows so that it overflows in excess.  This knowledge isn’t book smarts or facts, but rather an experiential, first-hand knowledge.  It is an understanding of another and recognizing what befits them.

The depth of insight in verse 9 refers to discernment, the ability to sense what’s right through the hazy grey-matter.  I like to think of it as knowing God so well, one instinctively senses what pleases or displeases Him.  A variation of this word is used in Hebrews 5:14, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”  One who is immature, whose depth of knowledge is shallow, will not have a developed sense of discernment.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit wants us to know Him!  He has reached down with an outstretched arm to pull us close so that we might understand Him more deeply.  I love how John records Jesus’ last words and desires before He faces His death.  Jesus prays in John 17:24, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

The action words here are so powerful: being, seeing, loving (He continues with knowing in verses 25 and 26).  He wants us to see His glory.  This doesn’t mean simply to view His glory, but to experience it in order to obtain understanding or awareness.  If we know and understand more about God, our love for Him will increase, even abound!

So, how do we get to know God more deeply?  I honestly don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all approach to answering this question.  God created each one of us with different personalities, so the way we approach Him and experience Him will vary.  However, there are some common threads.  The first is the starting point: prayer.  Pray that God would reveal Himself to you.  Prayer can take on many forms as it’s simply communicating with God.  Get creative.  Pray in your thoughts while you’re working.  Sing prayers as you go about your day.  Speak prayers aloud outside or while doing chores.  Write out or even color your prayers.  These are just a few ideas, but the point is to express your desire to God.  He wants you to ask so that you’ll recognize when He answers.

Next, identify how you most deeply connect with God.  Each of us are energized and refreshed by some aspects of faith, while other aspects can become draining.  For example, I love intense study of the Word while my husband thrives on caring for others, especially through difficult circumstances.  Sure, he reads the Word and I care for people, but if we do that intensely or over an extended period of time, it drains us.  Gary Thomas has written a book entitled, Sacred Pathways.  He identifies nine approaches to loving God.  It has helped me identify and understand my “sweet spot” as well as understand how others express their love.  (Here’s a link to an assessment to identify your approach.)

Finally, incorporate Scripture.  It is the truth.  If we don’t know it, we will be easily deceived and led astray.  We are blessed with ready access to a multitude of Bible resources such as audio Bibles, various translations, and Scripture put to song.  In whatever way you connect with God, seek to know Him more deeply so that your love for Him grows and grows in crazy abundance!

Scripture Reflections:
Ephesians 1:17-19a
Ephesians 3:14-21
Ephesians 4:11-16
Colossians 1:9-14
2 Peter 1:2-11

All references quoted in this post are in the New International Version (NIV).