Are you ready to improve your relationship with Jesus this spring?
Even though it’s already April and Easter is approaching fast, there is never a wrong time to start building your relationship with Jesus.
Creating a healthy routine with Him is the best way to always be in constant communication with Him. When we don’t spend time with our creator, we feel empty, lacking something, and even more on edge.
If this feels like you, don’t worry. You’re not alone, and I know that because I have been in that spot before!
But, thankfully we have a graceful God who knows our hearts and the brokenness of this world. He knows it’s hard to get alone, sit in His presence and even enjoy His precious words daily. Friends, you can do it with Him by your side because our flesh is weak but the Spirit is willing (Matthew 26:41).
The first step you took is reading this post. I believe God is calling His daughter (or son) back home to His loving presence.
Grab a tea, coffee or a snack and read this article to learn more about how you can get closer with Jesus this Spring- for life in at least 4 ways.
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for companies like Amazon and other awesome brands that offer products that help our readers achieve their health goals! If you purchase through our affiliate links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! Read our disclosure for more info.
Start a Routine
As a coach, I know the best way for us to start getting into the habit of doing the things we want to do, is to start with a routine.
This is what I have done and what other scholars do as well.
When we create a daily routine, like eating breakfast or getting dressed, we tend to do it every day because it’s a routine.
With routine comes habits. As James Clear mentions in his book Atomic habits, habits form out of cues, routines, triggers and rewards.
You can apply this same principle to create a quiet time routine with Jesus. This will allow you to get closer with Him and reap the rewards of having a joyful life and someone to turn to when you are struggling in a specific area of your life (maybe your health journey??).
How to start a quiet time routine
Starting a routine means evaluating your current daily routine. For me, I can’t let a day go by without doing my study on weekday mornings. But how did I get there? I started small.
The first tip to starting a routine is to start small and find a way to sneak in at least 5 minutes with God.
Yep! Just 5 minutes out of your busy day.
Soon, you will have more time because God will allow you to have more time. You will see that He will make it work out for you. that time will work out perfectly for you- not against you just because you sacrificed a bit of time to spend with Him.
5 ways to spend 5 minutes with God:
- Read a daily devotional, I use Jesus Calling– it’s the best one!
- Pray to Him about your day: ask Him to give you more time to spend with Him and ask Him how He wants you to spend your time. Then, trust in Him and seek ways to do this.
- Read a section of your bible: Psalm 23, Matthew chapter 5 is a great spot where He is talking to the multitudes about His commands (loving your enemies, the beatitudes and more)
- Listen to a devotional on Spotify
- Listen to the Audio bible before you go to work
- BONUS: At lunchtime, thank Him for your meals and talk to Him during your lunch break… Thank Him at any time in the day! He loves praise and worship
To start doing this, habit stack your 5 minutes with God with something you are already doing.
This can help you retain the routine and do it daily. Maybe it’s…
- Getting ready
- Driving to work
- Waking up and in bed during the snooze button
- With your morning coffee
- At the gym
- On your morning walk
… whatever you are doing, God will remind you to spend time with Him. These are some ways, but maybe it’s during that time that you spend on social media even!
The point is, make a bit of time during your already established routine in order to make this a new part of your routine! The most important thing to do is ask Him to help you make time- He certainly will if you are serious about it 🙂
TLDR: 1 way to have a better relationship to Jesus is to include Him in your routine through prayer, music, or devotionals during the routine you already have established. This can be done while driving, working out or getting ready for the day.
Related: How to Create A Relaxing Night Routine for Weight Loss
Picking the Right Bible You Love
Another way to spend time with Him is to include a bible routine.
Sometimes, reading the bible can be intimidating; It’s huge!
This used to be my excuse. I used to look at my KJV bible, and feel intimidated, overwhelmed, and completely uninterested. I thought it was old and hard to read….
That was until I discovered bible journaling, study bible commentaries, and different bible versions that make reading the bible a bit easier.
I also started out with devotionals and a book on what the bible is all about. You can also start with the Bible Project to learn about what each book of the Bible is about and how to interpret the Bible correctly.
Not only that, but looking at reading your bible as a chore doesn’t help either.
Don’t look at it as a chore, look at it as learning more about Jesus and spending time with Him.
If you have been praying about something but don’t feel like you are getting an answer, it’s most likely in the Word! You can only do this if you use the Bible.
there are many different bible variations. you can do your own research on what works best for you and your reading level.
The next section has the list of my favorite resources/ bible recommendations and other tools I have seen that can be very helpful for an in-depth and enjoyable quiet time.
Summary
- Start small with a devotional
- Look at it as spending time with God and learning more about Him
- Pick a bible version that is clear for you to understand and read
- NKJV Journal the Word Bible is My favorite- Recommendations are down below.
Why it’s important to read the Bible
Think of it this way: Jesus desires a relationship with you, do you desire one with Him? A relationship is formed 2 sided. If only one person is making the effort, how can the relationship grow?
Instead of seeing it as a chore or hard to do, look at it as a date with your very best friend who loves you, cares about you, and already knows everything about you but wants you to know more about them!
The bible is the ultimate way to know more about Jesus and learn about what He says on specific topics we struggle with on a daily basis. Jesus says He is also the bread of life and will feed you with His promises, His word, and will heal you (John 6: 33-35).
The bible also says that it is alive and active in Hebrews 4:12:
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
Supplies that can improve your relationship & Bible Study
If you feel overwhelmed about spending more time with God, dont! He wants you to spend time with Him. He made Himself known to you and desires to have a blooming relationship with you.
There are some supplies that can make bible study/ quiet time more fun and appealing as you get started.
Like I mentioned earlier, I needed to start with Jesus Calling devotionals at first, and then slowly start getting into His word and eventually spending more time with Him.
With that said, there are also other methods that people advise and that I have tried that work great for improving your prayer life, bible study routine, and relationship with Him.
It also makes it more fun and easier to understand God’s character.
These have worked for me, but do what works best for you. Remember, starting small is the best way to go when just getting started with spending time with God.
Bible Tools & Supplies:
Devotionals– the easiest way to start increasing your time with Jesus and knowing His character.
- Jesus Calling Devotional
- Walking in Grace 366 Daily Devotionals
- Daily Grace Co 90 Day devotional: Take Heart (on sale right now, not an affiliate…yet lol)
Prayer Journal– the best way to stay focused in your prayers/quiet time and lay down your heart before Him. It can also help you to learn how to pray, and make it not so repetitive or not know what to say to God.
Bible studies– helpful to do topical studies if you want to learn about a specific topic. Be wary though as these can have individual views in them that may not be Spirit-led. Look for studies that focus on how to apply God’s word and that involve God’s word heavily rather than man’s words.
- Topical Bible studies by Daily Grace Co. (I have Preaching the Gospel to yourself that I do on the weekends)
Journaling Bibles– helpful to write down little notes or write down verses you want to remember. God can also answer prayers through reading His word so it’s nice to write down a little note and the date for when He answered! You can also highlight memory verses to help you study further.
- NKJV Journal the word Bible (this is the one I have and I love it!)
- NIV Journal the word Bible
- ESV journaling Sierra Bible from Daily Grace Co. (they are usually sold out but are so cute)
- These Bible tabs from Daily Grace Co (I have these)
- Evidence Study Bible by Ray Comfort (has like everything you need)
- Bible Knowledge Commentary ( I don’t have this but I have watched a video where they said this was helpful)
Miscellaneous materials:
- Bible Project– Youtube channel with lots of helpful information on each book of the bible. I love watching these to give me a better background and understanding of a book I know little context about.
- Bible Gateway- an online resource for further study and other bible versions in case you need clarification
- Dictionary or Google search- I like to look up the meaning of common words in verses to elevate the study (you don’t have to do this as a beginner with limited time but it is helpful)
- Online Bible apps- Bible project has an app you can download that has bible studies, an online bible, and even includes Hebrew linear options if you really want to go in-depth ( I recommend starting simply as a beginner though)
- Gotquestions.org– the ultimate biblical resource for questions you want to know the answer of
- Daily Grace Co– aesthetic bible studies, bibles, bible tabs and so much more.
- Mike Winger Youtube Channel- has great topical studies and also a podcast on Spotify where people ask tough questions.
- Coffee & Bible Time- Youtube channel that has some bible study with me videos, they also have a website shop with studies and more.
- Kaci Nicol– bible study with me videos that go in-depth on topics in the bible
- Hosanna Revival- more aesthetic bible tabs, bibles and more
- Spotify- for podcasts, bible study music, worship music
- Pens for Bible study– literally the best pens of all time! I got some for my mom too. amazing.
- Bible study tabs
- Notebooks
TLDR: These are resources that can help you enjoy more bible time and increase your knowledge with The Lord. there are free resources and ones that you can buy. The ultimate thing is that you are connecting with Him!
Lastly, there are so many amazing FREE resources out there on the Internet that the Lord has made available to His sheep.
Take advantage of them! There are free bibles online and for our phones. You can absolutely use these.
God just wants your heart so don’t feel like you need to have all these things in order to make your relationship perfect. The best way to make it sweet and perfect is to come to Him at any time of the day:
- When you’re anxious
- Sad
- Broken
- Happy
- Excited
- Overwhelmed
- Stressed
- Hungry
- Full
- Thankful
He wants you to come to Him and pour your heart out. Don’t worry about what to say as the Spirit intercedes with groanings in our hearts what to say to the Living God (Romans 8:26). The best way to get close and build your relationship is to just start and ask Him to show you how.
Related: Amazon Fitness Favorites You Didn’t Know You Needed
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:8
How to Talk to God for a Better Prayer Life
Like I mentioned above, God wants you to come to Him no matter what!
He’s our friend, bridegroom, savior, counselor, comforter, and of course, Abba Father! That means He is willing and able to hear our requests, and even gently rebuke us when necessary.
With that said, He is also our King, our God, and is everlasting, Holy, and perfect. So He deserves our respect and praise as well as a confession of repentance for sin. If you ever find yourself not thinking you have sinned (we’ve all done it!), ask God to reveal your sinful nature through His word or with the Holy Spirits’ help.
God loves the humble and especially when we come before Him and recognize our imperfection and our thankfulness to His perfection and lifesaving work on the Cross (James 4:10, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 2 Chronicles 34:27)
Related: How God Healed my Distorted Thoughts on Food
TLDR: A second & 3rd way to spend more time with God is through Reading your bible & deep prayer. a fancy way of communicating with the Holy God of our entire world and being. You can do this by bible journaling, giving thanks, and using the ACTS method. there’s no right or wrong way to talk to God. Just remember He is Holy and the only way to speak to Him is through Jesus. Reading Your bible is a way to grow with God because that’s how He communicates back to us.
How to Pray using ACTS Method
Jesus shows us the structure in how to pray that glorifies the Father when we do pray: Matthew 6:9-13
I use the ACTS method in my own little way- get creative when you pray to keep it interesting and active. I like to write these in my prayer journal and then pray after but do what you feel called to do. The bible says to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Prayer format:
Adore/ Praise– speak a psalm or recognize God’s amazing works
Confession– Confess and repent to the Lord.
Thanks– Give Him thanks for answering your prayer, or showing gratitude for His creation and more
Supplication & Significant other– finally, make your requests known to God and pray about the things that are on your heart and mind. Next, pray for your husband, wife, or children (you can pray for them even if you don’t have a husband, wife, or children yet!) I feel they always need a special section in our prayers.
Others– there are SO many people that need prayers. Take note and listen when people feel prompted to tell you their hurt, struggles, or notice things that you even see on tv, in the news, etc. It might be a prompt from the Spirit to pray for them if they feel comfortable enough to tell you. Don’t tell people you will pray for them and then not pray for them, keep it in your mind or write it down just in case you forget. ( Matthew 5:37)
How to Trust God More
When you are asking earnestly in prayer for help, trust He will deliver you. Not only that but when you are allowing yourself to give Him time in your morning routine, know that He notices that and he loves that you are giving time to Him.
Trusting Him is going to improve your relationship.
But just know… it takes time for this. I still struggle with trusting God with some aspects and I dont realize it until He brings it to my attention. He is loving and knows when we struggle so don’t be afraid to ask him for help in trusting Him more and to increase your faith.
How to Include Jesus More in Your Day
A few ways to improve your relationship with Jesus is to really ask Him to show you how He wants you to involve Him. Some ways that are nice to include Him with are:
- Showering
- Brushing teeth
- Snooze alarm
- Homework
- Work
- Studying
- While you’re reading His word or watching a video
- Before you eat
- Listening to worship music in the car
- Working out
- Waking outside
- Listening to praise music while working
- Cooking
- Laundry
- Watching movies
- Watching tv
- Youtube
- blog posts
- Cleaning
- Playing with your animals or babies
- On date with your significant other
- …pretty much anything!
The bible says to glorify God through ALL that you do. Yes, that means essentially everything! Talk to Him in your head while you are doing something you enjoy, something you dont like doing, and more.
The more you do this, the more your trust in him will increase and the more He feels close to you. It’s never a good feeling to feel that He is far.
Some bible verses on this: Colossians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Related: 35 Ways to Crush Boredom Eating
TLDR: One last way to have a better relationship with Jesus is to invite Him into your day in many different ways. This is how we can glorify Him and spend more time with him during our daily life. When we start small, it will increase and God will notice it. Bible says to Draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. James 4:8
Summary
After reading all of this, hopefully, you feel equipped and ready to start communicating with the Father more. Remember He desires your time, relationship, and YOU. He wants you to sacrifice time with Him so He can know you and you can know Him. Remember the scary verse of the bible; Mathew 7:21-23.
Also, remember, everyone’s relationship will look a bit different! Do what you are called by God to do so you can continue walking in His ways.
With that said, some ways you can improve your relationship with Jesus this spring and for life include:
- Making it a routine
- Having a bible you like
- Having extra supplies if necessary
- And lastly, pray with Him daily and with everything you do!
I hope you enjoyed reading this post. If you did, please share it if you feel it would help someone improve their relationship with Jesus. This is very crucial friends but it doesn’t have to be a chore, overwhelming legalistic, or unfun. It should be a stress reliever and comforting to know the One who is King of all wants to be with you every day.
Kindly,
Dacia
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
John 6:35
