Have you ever found that there are some places you feel closer to God than others? Maybe it’s at your local church or in your dorm room. Or perhaps it’s at home or in the park.
Whatever place it is, as soon as you leave that place, God suddenly feels distant, like He isn’t as close as He once was. And you feel like you can’t hear Him as clearly.
It’s not unusual to feel that way.
But as you mature as a Christian, it’s always important to remember that God doesn’t go anywhere. He is always there. That means that He is always close and you can always connect to Him, whatever the time and whatever place.
If you’ve been wondering how to do that, here are 3 ways you can stay connected to God wherever you go.
1. Carry Your Bible
As Christians, we connect with God’s Spirit and hear His voice through His Word. That’s why you must read it daily. This is also why you must carry it with you when you change locations.
To do this you can get a small pocket-sized Bible (such as the Gideon Bible) or a Bible app on your phone. This will make the Bible easy to read when you’re away on short trips. On longer trips you can carry your actual Bible or again a miniature or Bible app, to ensure that you’re still constantly feeding on the Word of God.
If you’re going out for the day and would prefer to leave it at home and read it when you get back, that works too. This is where staying in constant prayer comes in.
2. Stay in Constant Prayer
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are urged to pray without ceasing. This sounds great in theory but can be quite challenging to apply and put into practice. First of all, how does one even pray without ceasing? The answer is by, meditating on God’s Word.
Meditating in this context is simply thinking over Scripture, reciting Scripture in your heart. So you can take a small verse e.g. the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1) or a whole passage e.g. Psalm 23 to the end, and just repeat it in your heart as you go about your day. When you are standing in a queue or when there is a pause in conversation. When you are walking or when you’re sitting in the car.
Making melody in your heart to the Lord is another way to be in constant prayer and stay connected to God. (Ephesians 5:19)
Again, you can do this as you go about your day. Sings songs of praise and worship in your heart. If you have the opportunity, you can also put on worship music as you do your work.
3. Keep Up Your Routine
Another way to stay connected to God is by simply keeping up your routine. If you have made it a habit to wake up early and spend time with God, do that even when you go away. Or if you often go for an evening walk and quiet time with the Lord, slot that in. If you have been attending church, with the Lord’s guidance find one close to your new location to attend.
You must make the effort to maintain the godly habits that you have developed. If your new environment doesn’t allow you to do exactly what you usually do, ask the Lord to show you other ways you can stay connected and spend time with him.
So there you have it, 3 ways to stay connected to God where you go. As you implement these with God’s guidance and leading, it’s also important to simply remember that no matter where you go, God is there.
God is Where You Are
Part of what can make you think you are disconnected from God or that God is distant is simply feeling like He is not.
But as Christians we do not walk by feelings but faith and faith in the Word of God. And it is in His Word that God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) So whether you feel it or not, just believe that it is true.
David himself wrote a wonderful Psalm that also helps to remind us of that. In Psalm 139:7-10 (NKJV), he says of God:
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there You hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
So whether you are on the road, in the air or on land, in your favourite and most peaceful location or a busy office, God is always present. He is always near and you can always stay connected to Him.
