Digital Learning Labs
Understanding God
How Do I Connect With God?
Read John 15:1–5:
“No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (verse 5)
This passage in John is a part of text that’s often called “The Commissioning of the Disciples.” These words, along with the rest of this chapter, are the instructions that Jesus gave his disciples before he died. So if you’ve ever wondered what the basic practices of faith are, John 13–17 is a great place to start! In these verses, notice that there are three “characters”: Jesus (the vine), the Father (the farmer), and people, including the disciples and all believers who would follow (the branches). When we are connected to Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and our daily submission to him, we receive the comfort, wisdom, and strength we need to live a full life. We bear fruit. This is something that’s impossible to do on our own. Don’t worry, you can never really be disconnected from him as a believer, but by submitting and devoting yourself to him each day, you will begin to experience the life that he came to give you.
Question 1: Can you think of someone you know who spends consistent time with God? What difference do you notice in their life? What kind of fruit do they seem to have from their time with him? Consider asking them about their habit.
Question 2: What are the things in your life that you do very consistently? Are there any habits like working out or even commuting that you could pair with your time with God? Sometimes creating a rhythm is easier when you’ve already got one in place.
Question 3: What hopes do you have for your relationship with God? Is there any specific wisdom, comfort, strength or fruit you can specifically pray for? If you aren’t sure where to start in your time with him, make a list of these things and ask him for them!
If the idea of a “quiet time” seems intimidating to you, start simply. Sign up for the verse of the day and read it five times, thinking about what it means. Pray or listen to worship in your car as you drive to work. Often our life in different seasons requires different ways to connect. Ask God to give you what you need to love and follow him and see what happens!
Digging Deeper
To learn about how God wired you to connect to him, take the Spiritual Pathways Assessment. For more practices and pathways, explore these resources.
