How do I connect with God emotionally, not just intellectually?
Question:
I am reaching out to you today to ask a question. Sometimes it is easier to meditate on God’s Word intellectually but harder to connect to God through His Word emotionally or in a deeper level that produces transformation, which then leads to aligning myself to God. How do you gain the knowledge about the Bible and who God is but also connect to God? Does knowing how to read the Bible lead to knowing God better, knowing God better lead to imitating his righteous ways through application, and application lead to a deeper connection to Him? I am not sure if my questions make sense. Anyway, looking forward to hearing from you. YSIC, Camille Mendez
Camille:
I am sure you know that there will not be simple answer to your question. Having an intellectual knowledge about God is a different thing from having a intimate heart-relationship with him. Everyone is different. Some are the exact opposite of you–they have an emotional connection with God but have a very simple non-intellectual knowledge about God. Which is more important–feeling a connection with God or having a sound intellectual knowledge of God? I would have to say that, on balance, the first is more important, if I understand the overall thrust of scripture. But the two play off of each other, and both are important. The Church needs both kinds, I am sure.
I do not have a sure way to solve your concern and I certainly do not have a prescription for how you can create a stronger emotional connection with God. Will increasing your knowledge about the Bible help (as you ask above)? I say maybe but likely not. The head is not the way to the heart most of the time. Does knowing God better (intellectually) lead to imitating righteousness, application and then deeper connection? Maybe. It seems not to have done so for you, however. I can give some suggestions, but what will work with one person will not work with another. Here they are:
My suggestions:
1. Spend much time in Psalms, pray through them, meditate on them, and try to internalize them.
2. Spend time looking at the suffering of Christ and doing highly faith-requiring things which are fairly likely to lead to your suffering for Christ. Colossians1:24-27 suggests this will help you to come to really know and experience Christ. We come to know him (not just know about him) through suffering.
3. Take the time to learn about spiritual disciplines such as the lectio divina, dwelling in the Word, the Little Way, fasting, or other spiritual disciplines designed to help us to come into emotional contact with God. As a fellowship we do not emphasize spiritual disciplines enough. These disciplines can help us to exercise the emotional spiritual muscles.
4. Pray about this particular thing regularly.
I think this will get you started.
John Oakes
