How to Encounter God - a Practical GuideSample

To encounter God, we must seek Him with all our heart. Nothing pollutes our hearts like pride.

In John chapter 9, there is a very interesting story about a man who was born blind. The blind man had an encounter with Jesus and was healed. His encounter should have been an invitation to others to believe in Jesus and have their encounter. Instead, the Pharisees refused Jesus because they were offended by the messenger whom God chose to deliver His message.

Not much has changed since Biblical times. Many today will not encounter God because they will only listen to people who agree with them, are in the same social circle with them, or are on their same ‘level.’ If you are a pastor, will you receive from a new convert? If you are a CEO, will you receive from a child? If you are a billionaire, will you receive from a homeless person? You get the point. Sometimes what keeps us from God is our self-righteousness. 

Jesus often made statements that could easily offend. Those that refused to take offense encountered God, and those who became offended didn’t. For example, He called one lady a dog. He told one group that they had to eat His flesh and another to hate their father and mother. He called the Pharisees vipers and sons of the devil. Jesus loved to test the heart. If we are so full of ourselves that we are easily offended, we may well be blocking ourselves from a deeper relationship with God.

Ego also shows up when being right is more important to us than our relationships. I cannot count the number of times I have felt alienated from God and knew that the path back to His arms was through an apology to my wife. Holding onto unforgiveness and our ‘rights’ creates a blockage in the flow of God’s mercy and grace to us. Jesus taught this in many different ways. He admonished husbands to respect and be considerate to their wives so that their prayers would not be hindered. He said that God forgives us as we forgive others. He also said to reconcile with an estranged brother before offering a gift at the altar. In summary, lives of humility and forgiveness are prerequisites for intimacy with God.

If we want to encounter God, we must push past our pride.

Points to pray/journal:

• Is being right more important to me than a relationship with God and others?

Prayer:

Father, crucify my prideful heart with Christ. Birth in me, instead, a heart of humility and mercy like Christ’s.