How might I recognise God’s presence in my life?
You may already have experienced moments when God seemed close: during prayer, through unexpected peace, in the beauty of the world, through the love of another person or at a time when you received strength or guidance.
You may also have felt drawn towards God without fully understanding why. A desire to pray, learn about Jesus, return to church or live differently may itself be part of your search for a closer relationship with him.
At other times, God may have seemed distant or silent. Doubt, disappointment and unanswered prayer can make a relationship with him difficult, but they can also reveal the questions, hurts and longings that need to be brought honestly before him.
Looking back, you might notice experiences that have led you towards greater love, truth, forgiveness, courage or compassion. Christians believe that God often works through ordinary events, other people and the quiet movements of our thoughts and conscience.
Christians believe that God makes himself known most clearly through Jesus. By learning about Jesus’ words, actions, compassion and forgiveness, we can begin to recognise what God is like and how he may already be at work in our lives.
A relationship with Jesus deepens through prayer, reading about him in the Bible, worshipping with other Christians and putting his teaching into practice in everyday life. Christians also believe that we should be open to receiving the Holy Spirit, allowing him to guide us, strengthen us and change us from within.
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