It is easy for relationships to get in a rut. Living life with someone for any extended amount of time makes it easy to slip into a comfortable mundane.
As a wife of almost 9 years, I have seen the importance of getting away with my husband or trying new things together. A break from the norm does a lot for us. We try to communicate and evaluate where we are as a couple often. And while it’s rarely easy, we work hard to keep our relationship top priority.
As crucial as it is to maintain healthy communication with a spouse and spend time with our closest loved ones, our time with the Lord is even more valuable. So during this season of renewal, I am offering some ideas to help you refresh your relationship with Christ.
Get away with Jesus: Recently I was having lunch with a good friend and we were talking about the difficulties in returning back to America after living overseas. Upon returning, I found it difficult to adjust in many different ways. We talked about how in the midst of the move and new things happening, my relationship with the Lord took a back seat. While I was still in the Word and praying, I had allowed too many things to drown out the constant communication I once had with my Heavenly Father.
My friend suggested something that she had been doing once a month for years -- she took a day, or at least a half day, to block out the rest of the world and spend it with Jesus. Loving this advice, the following Monday I took the day off and headed to my family’s cabin in the mountains. It was a way to reconnect with God, to practically show Him that He is my priority and to allow Him to minister to my weary heart. And it was a really good day.
No matter where you are in your life, we need time to get alone with Jesus. Often we feel we can’t afford to take those extra few hours or block off a day to get alone with Christ and recharge. The truth is... we can’t afford not to.
- Find somewhere that you can be alone for a while, whether that be the mountains, the beach, the park, your hammock or even your front porch. Get somewhere quiet and simply sit before the Lord. You don’t have to expect a great revelation. Just make your heart available to Him and watch Him turn your efforts into great blessing.
- Spend half a day praying. Get in the Word. Put your phone in the other room, get away from the internet and TV, and spend time in His presence.
It may mean that you take a personal day from work or schedule a babysitter two weeks in advance but, I promise the trouble it takes to clear your schedule will be worth it. And the beauty is, He is already prepared and ready for His day with you. He is waiting for you to make time for Him. We were created to spend time with the Lord, and He knows the best thing for us is to be in His presence.
Keep things exciting: Somehow over the years, many people have gotten the idea that following God is boring. Apparently, those people have never paid much attention to the outrageous (and true) stories of the Bible.
King David danced in the streets in an extravagant festival to praise the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). Elijah ran up and down a mountain and outran a chariot all in one day to complete a mission he had been given for the Lord (1 Kings 18:38-46). God made a donkey talk to get a man’s attention (Numbers 22:28). And, after leading an Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, Philip was teleported (think Star Trek style...but better) to an entirely different location (Acts 8:39-40)! The Lord keeps things interesting, adventurous and full of life (John 10:10). Jesus was a traveller, a people person, a storyteller, a miracle-worker and was, quite literally, the life of the party (John 2:1-11). Jesus is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
While you may not find yourself teleporting to Nepal to share the Gospel, allow the Lord to open your eyes to a new way to worship Him. Remind yourself not to put God in a box. He wants to be invited into every single part of your life. Keep Him the center of what You do and be willing to try new things with and for Him.
- Get alone in your bedroom and dance before Him.
- Sing Psalms back to Him (even if you make up the notes as you go).
- Memorize Scripture and repeat it out into spoken word.
- Paint a picture depicting His creation or your love for Him.
- Take up running, hiking, or biking and talk to Him about anything and everything under the sun while you go.
Be Jesus to others: One of the best ways to rejuvenate your relationship with the Lord is to allow the Him to use you to encourage someone else.
- Volunteer for a youth mentoring program.
- Spend some time with an elderly widow you know is lonely.
- Buy a meal for someone in line behind you at a restaurant… then sit down and have the lunch with them. (... if they let you. I know this isn’t the ‘50’s. Could be hit or miss, really. But keep your eyes open and see where the Lord leads you.)
- Start inviting a new friend (that may not know Jesus or is going through a hard time) over for dinner once a week.
- Blast some worship music and make a new recipe, then send it to someone in need of encouragement.
Go out of your way to show Jesus to others. Step out on the limb of faith with Him, and you will see another beautiful side of life with Christ that you’ve never seen. With Jesus, You will always reap so much more than you sow.
Remember what He's done: Even if today is the first day of your journey following the Lord, there is already so much history between the two of you. He sent His Son to die for you, and that alone is enough to praise Him forever. Regardless of how long you have been following Christ, don’t forget how far the Lord has brought you and what He has carried you through.
- Begin a thankful journal.
- Write your prayers then update it when He answers.
- Create a timeline of your life as a believer, and remember the miracles and blessings He has worked out on your behalf.
- Write out your dreams, and lay them before Him. Count all the things you once prayed for that you have now.
Don’t forget His love, His miracles and His active hand in your life. Allow Him to restore to you the joy of His salvation (Psalm 51:12)
Our Heavenly Father is a brilliant Creator, and He continually makes things new. He is ushering in growth and life constantly. Allow Him to do the same in your relationship with Him. If your relationship with Jesus seems stale, in a rut or boring, it’s because you haven’t been willing to go all in with Him. Step out and allow Him to grow something new in you and refresh what once seemed dead. We have an abundant life with Jesus ahead -- let’s go there with Him!
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