To get your copy of “Intimacy: 100 Day Guide to Lasting Relationships”, go to: https://www.drdougweiss.com/product/intimacy-100-day-guide-lasting-relationships/

How do you have intimacy with God, especially on a regular basis? How do you get to know His heart, to sense that Him is with you, and be connected to Him in this chaotic world?

People often struggle with intimacy in general, whether with themselves, their loved ones, and others. When it comes to God, so many try to make it a religious thing, a hard thing, a "I have to thing" instead of "I get to." Being intimate with God is like being in love vs. having to be married.

People often act religiously towards Him, thinking they have to make Him happy. While you can bring joy to the Father by how you behave, give, and connect with those around you, He's already happy. God's not angry with you. Christians know that Jesus took all of the wrath of God and the sin of humanity unto Himself and once He rose again, it was finished. God's heart and arms are open towards you.

Part of the issue we have with having intimacy with God is how we think of and believe about Him. Do we only consider Him a thing that has these rules and if we keep those rules, He'll be happy and bless us? Or is He a soul, a being, a dad who loves us because He made us and we look like Him and He loves spending time with us? Is He the kind of God who relates to us who are flawed, with grace? Do we realize this or do we focus too much on completing a daily regiment, being busy doing things for Him instead of spending time doing things with Him?

What you believe about God affects how intimate you can be with Him (whether staying in the shallows or moving towards a deeper level). Working to perform for God limits us immensely, thinking that based on how good of a boy or girl one is, that is how close God is to them. However, on the other hand we shouldn't be reckless with Him.

We should be reading the Word and spending time with Him to know what He's thinking, seeing what good things He wants for our life, and realizing how much He loves us. It's all about knowing Him more and more and forming a true and loving mutual relationship vs just repetitive rituals.

God wants you to share you thoughts and feelings with Him. He loves just being with you. It's less about quantity and more about the quality of your time with Him.

As you open up and draw closer to Him, He'll show you how to improve the communication between the two of you and how to live a better life. In the end, intimacy with God is about a father who wants to spend time with his children, a good friend who seeks company.

Doug Weiss, Ph.D., is a nationally known author, speaker and licensed psychologist. He is the executive director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the author of several books including, Partner Betrayal Trauma ™.

You may contact Dr. Weiss via his website, https://www.drdougweiss.com/ or on his Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drdougweiss/

by phone at 719-278-3708 or through email at [email protected]