“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ – Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

It’s been a moment since I last posted, and I’m not disappointed about that. The reason why is because I’m learning to go deeper in my relationship with God. I don’t want to remain a busy Christian, always doing something while my well is running empty because I’m focused on the wrong things or my schedule is too full. Don’t get me wrong, I already have a deep relationship with Him, but recently my desire to know Him more has become so intense.

I sensed that when I stepped into my thirties, God was going to do a different work in me than He did in my twenties. Since I’ve started leaning into that, He has been opening so many doors.

I have a prayer schedule, and one day each week I specifically focus on intimacy with God. The scripture Matthew 22:37, along with Ephesians 3:16–19, has been my anchor on this journey. The passage in Ephesians states:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (NIV)

What stood out to me the most is that Paul wanted us to know Christ deeply for ourselves. When we become that intimate and close with God, we are “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. My goodness, isn’t that a place to be? So near to God that He permeates us in every way that we reflect Him, becoming more Christ-like.

Once I grasped this, I began taking my prayers for intimacy with God to a new level by replacing “you” with “I” or even my name, as I recited the scriptures. One day, while standing in these scriptures during prayer, the Lord also placed in my heart the passage, “He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.” – Psalm 103:7 (NIV).

Why did God show His deeds to Israel but His ways to Moses? Because there is a distinction between knowing about God (His miracles, signs and wonders) and truly having a relationship with Him, the kind where He speaks face to face. As I began to pray this, I knew God was not only teaching me something but maturing me spiritually. I kept saying, “Show me Your ways Lord, I want to know You personally.”

Here’s why this became so significant. Later that same day, I went to get my hair done at the salon. As the young lady was washing my hair, I heard the words, “I feel so stuck, I’m so frustrated.” It repeated a few times. It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t exactly quiet either. I began calculating in my mind, wondering if I was imagining it, but I knew I wasn’t. God was teaching me the kind of insight and direction He would pour into me as I grew deeper with Him.

I opened my mouth and asked the young woman how her career was going since finishing her training. Her response indicated that the voice I had heard reflected her inner thoughts and current struggles. I let her finish speaking and then stayed quiet for a moment, wanting God to lead me in what to do next. We had a good conversation, she finished my hair, and I paid for the service. Before I walked out of the door, I paused and said to the salon owner, “I need to pray with the young lady.”

I called her over, and I shared what I had heard and said I believed God wanted to do something in her life. She allowed me to pray with her, and then I left. That evening she messaged me to say she had been fasting, and that day was her final day of fasting to God for help with her career and vision. She said my prayer confirmed that God had heard her.

Isn’t it amazing that we were both on a journey of getting closer to God so we could know His heart for our lives, yet it was unfolding in different ways?

Why do I share this whole story in detail, you might ask? Because sometimes the reason we are not growing in our faith, the reason we are not seeing transformation in our personal lives, ministries, spiritual gifts, careers, or relationships, is because we lack intimacy with God. I’m not saying we should get close to God for what we can gain. I’m saying that knowing God deeply is far more fulfilling than we often realise.

If you desire intimacy with God, I’ve shared a prayer below rooted not in my own words but in scripture. I hope it blesses and encourages you to go deeper with Him.

Prayer

Lord, Your Word says in Matthew 22:37 that we should love You with all our heart, soul, and mind, and this is the desire of my heart. Just as You made Your ways known to Moses, I pray You will make Your ways known to me. According to Ephesians 3:16–19, I ask that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. May I be rooted and established in love and have power, together with all Your holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Help me to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Develop in me an intimate relationship with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.