10 Ways to Know Jesus Better
This devotional is part of our devotional series, 10 Ways to Know Jesus Better. Consider reading one devotional in the series each week. At the end of the article, you will find an action step to help you practically pursue knowing Jesus better.
Part 3: Talk to Jesus Often
Getting to know Jesus isn’t all about listening to him. Every relationship includes two people getting to know one another. Jesus wants to know you too!
Listen to what Jesus says that he wants for your life:
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT)
“God’s will” means what God wants. God wants you to never stop praying. Prayer simply means talking to God. So basically, this verse says that God wants you to never stop talking to him!
He loves you. Not only did he create you (Psalm 139), but he also saved you from your sin, and not only so that you’d be free of punishment, but ultimately, so that you would be close to him (1 Peter 3:18). God saved you so that you might be reconciled to him, and enjoy a loving relationship with him for all eternity (John 17:3).
In fact, do you know how the Bible often refers to followers of Jesus? Not just as children of God, or servants of God, but as friends of God (John 15:15)!
Part of God’s desire for your life is for you to be in constant communication with him. In the Bible, we discover many incredible invitations from God to speak with him. He welcomes you to “pour out your heart before him” because he wants to be your refuge (Psalm 62:8). He tells you to cast all your anxieties on him because he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7). He instructs you to pray about everything and let him take responsibility over the things making you anxious because he wants you to be at peace (Philippians 4:6-7). And he welcomes you to boldly approach his throne whenever you need his help, mercy, and grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Prayer doesn’t require you to be sitting in a chair, kneeling, folding your hands, writing in a journal, or saying certain words. Prayer is simply communicating with God. You can pray in any posture, at any time, and in any place. You can pray through singing; you can pray silently in your heart.
Don’t worry about what to say or how you will sound. God loves to hear from you. The Bible comforts us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26 NIV).
So pray! Talk to Jesus in your car, while walking places, when you first wake up, before you go to sleep, while you wash dishes, while you skateboard, in quiet moments, in between classes, or whenever. He hears you when you pray.
You will get to know Jesus better the more you share your heart with Jesus through prayer.
Action Step
Write down the words, “Have you talked to Jesus about it?” and place them somewhere you will see often. This will help you remember to talk to Jesus about any and everything going on in your life.