Many people start asking questions about Christianity and God during their teenage years. One of the most frequent questions is: “How to get closer to God as a teenager?.” During our teenage years, we start to look out for our purpose in life; we are eager to know about God and how to connect with him.
To get closer to God as a teenager, you must regularly attend church services and engage in Sunday youth activities. It will assist you in learning more about the Christian faith and associating with other teenagers who share the same beliefs. You can also read your Bible and devotional or listen to Christian music that inspires you. Another way to also get closer to God is by praying regularly. You may also find that attending church retreats and interfaith programs helps grow your understanding of different faiths. Being open-minded and gracious to others will help you get closer to God.
How to Get Closer to God as a Teenager
For us to get close to God as a teenager, we need to observe the following:
-
Study the Bible daily
Listening to God’s word and Reading the bible daily is the best way to get close to God. As spirit-filled individuals, we hear God speaking to us daily, but it can be difficult to distinguish the voice of flesh from the voice of God (see Genesis 3). To learn to recognize God’s voice, we need to get into reading his word daily, making it a routine in our lives. The Bible is meant to be assimilated repeatedly and day after day.
The Bible is unique, and no one can ever say they have finished reading it. With only a few minutes of reading the Bible, you will feel immense relief in your inner life. The Bible will teach you of God’s love and help you feel inspired. If you ask God for grace and desire to keep his word, you’ll find yourself desiring to read the Bible consistently. You can opt for a print bible for your daily readings or download a Bible app on your phone; it all depends on your preference. Either method is excellent; you have to decide on the one that will help you to be consistent.
-
Identify prayer requests
The more often you pray daily, the closer you get to God. By identifying prayer requests, you will be prompted to pray every day. Ultimately, you’ll find yourself regularly going to God in prayer. For instance, you can pray for a special request while doing your house chores in the morning. You can also pray for other requests while brushing, having breakfast, getting ready for work, and whenever you feel the urge to pray.
Good reminders for prayer requests are sticky notes. You can stick them to visible areas in your home, like the refrigerator, car dashboard, mirror, or laptop. Remember to pray as you glimpse through them. You can also set alarms on your smartphone to remind you to pray at specific times. These prompts will keep you in communication with God all through the day. They will help you feel less lonely and to stay in connection with God. Even when you’re hurting, these requests can reassure you.
-
Make use of a journal of your faith
When journaling, you express your pain, needs, fears, desires, and worries. Bring your needs to God and let him know all that is bothering you. You can ask for peace, joy, love, patience, and kindness from him. You can also request personal stuff such as good grades in school, protection, and provision of resources; write them all down. You can also write down the scriptures that correspond to what you’re writing to help you reflect more. Journaling allows you to write down the things you’re grateful for during the good and the bad times.
As Christians, we will likely quickly forget about the good times in our lives and dwell in the negative. Journaling helps us to reassess the trials in our lives.
Think about why you’re going through a particular situation, how it influences your life, and why it’s happening. That might be God getting you ready for more incredible things to come. Journaling also helps you to steer away from negativity. It allows you to put out the negativity and makes you understand that God’s plan for you is for good and not evil.
-
Teach Christianity to others
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). If you have that deep relationship with God, you are enabled to preach his word to others. There are probably many young teenagers like you in your school or community who haven’t received Jesus Christ as their savior yet. Or are yet to form a strong connection with him. Be the person that helps them see the advantage of getting close to God.
Be there for the teens who feel neglected, discouraged, or battling depression. Let them pour their hearts to you because that’s the only way they can feel better.
Study the bible with them and teach them about Christianity and help them develop a strong relationship with God. By doing this, you’re helping people know about God and it also makes you get closer to God.
-
Spend time with people that love God
Psalms 1–41 says: “Blessed is the man, Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And His law he meditates day and night.”
This verse highlights the impact of seeking the company of other followers. However, it doesn’t imply that you should avoid people who don’t believe in God.
It’s crucial to have a relationship with other Christians living a godly life; it helps you disassociate yourself from evil and ungodly activities that tempt you. It allows you to battle temptations and focus on what God wants from you. Spending time with people that love God enables you to develop a deeper connection and love for God. You can keep each other responsible and always do pleasant things in God’s eyes.
-
Utilize your God’s given gifts
Every God-fearing teenager is very peculiar in God’s eyes and is bestowed with gifts and talents that they can use to serve God, bless others, show love and make the world a better place. Utilizing your abilities and skills to serve people and to serve God helps you grow spiritually. Those who love singing can lead praises and worship during church services. You can also go on mission trips and evangelism to show off your God-given talents in serving God.
If you are good at drawing, athletics, weaving, playing football, public speaking, and interior design, you can use them to serve God. Although some people are still yet to discover their talents and gifts, it is very suitable for you to strive to find them; however, you can think of what you love doing the most and how you can make it purposeful to God and the people around you. Share your gift with others, as this is the most satisfying way to get close to God and serve others.
Conclusion
As a teenager, whether you’re a new believer, searching for a greater purpose, or have been a lover of Christ for the longest time, these tips remind you that getting close to God is just a small act away. Be free to learn about other beliefs and exercise tolerance, as it will help you better understand your faith and how it fits into the world around you. Spend time with God today and believe me, you’ll feel renewed and satisfied.
