By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

With the start of this current series, I received an e-mail from a reader with the words: “Benescke, how can I restore my relationship with God? I know Him, but it feels like I'm far away from Him. Do you have any advice?”

Do you feel the same? You once had a moment of repentance and salvation, you experienced God’s presence and power in your life and even had a burning passion inside you to bring as many people to salvation as possible. Circumstances, a disappointment or crisis, or simply a busy schedule, however, caused this passion inside you to cool down. Because you now feel guilty on the one side and you don’t have confidence to approach God on the other, your situation stays the same. This is where the enemy wants to keep you. Passive.

However, there is hope to change your situation.

When people fast for a couple of days and the fast is broken, one of the most important things to remember, is not to eat too big a meal. Not only will the body struggle to process it, you might even feel sick. The advice usually to a person breaking a fast, especially if it was more than twenty days, is to firstly drink liquids like soup so the body can- get accustomed to food again. Hereafter the person will be able to eat bigger meals without any problem.

This principle also applies to our “return to God”. Instead of starting to follow a hefty Bible Reading Program or to join various prayer groups (which is wonderful and has its place), the key to growing closer to God again is firstly to become quiet, focus on Him, ask Him to speak to you through His Holy Spirit and to listen to what He has to say. Start small, wherever you are and you will soon experience how your passion for God flares up again, how you cannot wait to pick up the Word of God and read it in order to get to know Him better. God is pursuing us all day long. We however miss many of these moments due to our busy schedules.

Remember, the enemy, will always try to occupy us with unimportant things in order to prevent us growing closer to God. Overcome it by deliberately switching off your radio in your car and talk to God or just by closing your eyes after reading this piece and inviting God back into your life.

In Jeremiah 31:3 we read: “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you...’” Also in Isaiah 65:24 we read: “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

God loves each of us even if we feel far away from him. Let us return to Him and invite Him to be a part of our lives. He is already waiting for you. God bless.  

Father God, thank You for never turning your back on us. Please forgive me for allowing my schedule to at times prevent me from connecting with You. Please speak to me today through your Holy Spirit and help me to be attentive. I invite you to be a part of my life in a fresh new way. I pray this in Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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