Talking with God implies a relationship of a very spiritual, personal, often private nature. With so many religions in the world and millennia of theological debate, imagining talking to God can seem complicated. But it doesn't have to be. Ultimately, the approach you choose to establish a connection with God is nothing more than the right way for you. Regardless of your religion and spiritual goals, you can learn how to communicate effectively with God with the advice below.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Talk to God as You Conceive Him
Step 1. Define your way of understanding God
To talk to Him confidently, you need to determine who God is to you. Who is God? How can you define it? Do you see him as a father or mother figure, a teacher, a distant friend or a close friend, even more than a brother or sister? Do you see him as an abstract spiritual guide? Is your way of connecting with God rooted in your spiritual and personal relationship with Him? Or do you follow the teachings and precepts of your religion to define your concept of God? Whichever conception you most recognize yourself in, it will determine the way you approach God. And your way of conceiving God will determine your approach in communicating with Him, whoever he is for you.
Step 2. Establish a relationship with a God who loves you
It's easier to talk to someone you know genuinely loves you. Telling God about your troubles and good times strengthens your relationship with him. Imagining a God willing to hear from you and to share joys, sorrows, and reflections with you is the first step in establishing a relationship. You can work further on this theme by reading spiritual literature and religious texts such as the Bible, the Koran and the Torah, which testify to the love God has for us.
Step 3. Talk to God as you would a dear and close friend, but immeasurably great and powerful
Talking to God as you would a close friend is very different from doing it out of duty or necessity. As with friends, you expect a relationship based on reciprocity, therefore answers, teachings and help. Prayer is a more one-way form of communication, while speaking involves an exchange.
- You can talk to Him aloud or in the silence of your conscience: it depends on how comfortable you feel.
- The ideal would be to find a quiet place that guarantees the necessary privacy, which you can access to better concentrate in the conversation. If that's not possible, it's also okay to talk silently to God while you're in line at the grocery store, waiting in the waiting room, or at school or work.
Step 4. Talk to Him as you would a person physically present at your side
You can tell him about your everyday problems, your thoughts of the moment, your dreams and hopes. You can also list (and reiterate to yourself) all the things you are grateful for. You can discuss hot topics with him or talk about trivial things, just like you would with a friend who cares about you.
- Let's say you have an ongoing discussion with a friend that lasts over time. In this case you might say, "God, I don't really know what else to say to Carlo. We've been arguing for almost two weeks and we can't figure it out. I don't want to think we can't get over this, but I don't know anymore. what to say or do ".
- Have you ever been enchanted by an incredibly wonderful day? Talk to God about the gifts you receive from Him. "Damn, God! It's such a beautiful day. I'd love to spend it in the park reading."
- Maybe you are experiencing a difficult time in your relationship with a family member: "I'm very sorry that we don't get along with Mom. The truth is that she doesn't understand me and refuses to listen to me when I try to tell her how I really feel. that for once she makes an attempt to see things from my point of view. Please help me to be patient, to listen to her and to understand her."
Step 5. Look for any feedback
The answer is likely to be unclear and manifest as if you have a friend physically present by your side. But you can get feedback from God in the Holy Scriptures or in a priest's homily. It may also come in the form of intuition, inspiration, writing, situation, or event directly or indirectly related to the topic of your conversation with God.
Step 6. Let God know that you are aware of His good reasons for taking the time to respond to you, giving you a deceptive impression of disinterest, which should not prevent you from fully trusting Him
It may be that the answer does not come to you in the desired time, but always keep in mind that all His actions have a deep motivation.
Step 7. Try to continue to follow the path indicated by God in good faith, aware of the divine will marked by good and love
However, realize that what happens to you may be the result of the intervention of third parties and their selfish actions / non-actions, which in some cases work in the opposite direction to your needs and ideas. God does not interfere, nor necessarily oppose the behavior of third parties that are hostile to you: why? They, who are as gifted with free will as you are, may not follow God's moral precepts and purposes, or refrain from committing misconduct towards you. It follows that unfortunately the events also depend on these malicious and indifferent interference in your path of peace and hope. Even in the most terrible situations you can talk to God, in dark times or when you go through the pains of hell. You don't have to be afraid, but you can cry out your pain to him, keeping faith in Him, whatever it is.
Method 2 of 3: Talk to God through Scripture
Step 1. Adopt the written form of communication
Maybe you feel uncomfortable talking to God out loud, you have a hard time concentrating when you address Him mentally, or maybe neither solution works with you. In this case, try writing to God. This form of communication still allows you to express your thoughts and set up your own personal conversation with God.
Step 2. Buy or get a notepad and pen
Pick one that you can comfortably write on every day. A spiral notepad or diary is ideal for use on a table or desk. Choose your favorite writing tool.
Writing by hand is definitely better than typing on a computer keyboard. The computer has countless distractions, and for some the act of typing on the keyboard requires a much more conscious effort than writing by hand on a notepad
Step 3. Find a quiet place that provides privacy
Even if you don't intend to speak out loud, it's best if you find a quiet spot to get the most focus.
Step 4. Write for a set amount of time
Before you begin, set a timer and be prepared to write for a period of time that makes you feel comfortable. You can set it for five, ten or twenty minutes. Keep writing for the duration of the allotted time.
Step 5. Write freely and quickly
Try not to observe yourself too much from the outside as you write. Don't worry about grammar or punctuation, or the subject of your writing. As you write to God, let your words flow straight from the heart. To be able to do this you will need to relax as much as possible, so that you can freely write down everything that comes into your mind.
Step 6. Write to God as if you were writing a letter to a friend or as if you were in front of your private journal
If you don't know what to write, think about something that bothers you and that you can't stop ruminating about. Write about what happens to you in everyday life. Write down any questions you would like to ask God, or write down your goals, or things you feel grateful for. Use the examples below to inspire you.
- "Dear God, I just don't know where to turn my head right now. It seems like I am unable to make the right choices, nor know the people who are right for me. I have a feeling of being overwhelmed by problems. When it all ends. this? When will things change in my life? ".
- "Dear God, I am no longer in the skin of contentment. Today I met a woman who does the job of my dreams. Our meeting was marked by serendipity. I mean: how many chances are there of meeting the right person by chance in a crowded street? If I hadn't accidentally bumped her and if she hadn't dropped her wallet, I would never have gotten an eye on her business card. You answered my prayers: thank you very much."
Method 3 of 3: Talk to God through Prayer
Step 1. Take time to pray to God
Prayer can be considered a more formal way to talk to God, since it is a practice rooted mainly in religion. However, you can decide to pray in the way that is most congenial to you. While you can pray at any time and wherever you want, it is helpful to set aside a specific time of day for prayer. Choose a time when they are unlikely to disturb you so that you can focus deeply and pray effectively. The moments traditionally reserved for prayer are: before meals, before going to bed, after a walk, during stressful and difficult times or while doing solitary activities such as sports or traveling by train or car to go to work.
Step 2. Find a quiet place to pray
The ideal is a place where you can exclude any distraction for the few minutes it takes to pray.
If you don't have a chance to find such a place, don't worry. You can also pray on a bus at rush hour, in the middle of a busy restaurant, and wherever you can concentrate. You can also pray while driving on the highway: the important thing is that in the meantime you always remain present while driving
Step 3. Prepare for prayer
While preparing to pray, some prefer to take a few minutes to prepare the environment and themselves for communication with God. The ways you choose to prepare for prayer depend heavily on your personal preferences and / or religious traditions.
Here are some of the most common practices: reading a few verses on the subject from a religious text, lighting candles or incense, performing a purification ritual, taking communion, meditating in silence, reciting a mantra, singing
Step 4. Choose the object of the prayer
You can define it in advance, if there are pressing issues in your life right now, or you can decide it in the course of the prayer itself.
- Prayer can also be used as a means of engaging in an informal conversation with God about everyday things or events on the agenda. Here is an example: "God, today is my first day of school. I'm really nervous, but at the same time excited. I pray that today everything is fine."
- You can also use prayer to go to confession, take a burden off your heart, make a request for a specific need: "God, I feel terrible for gossiping behind a colleague. I'm afraid she found out and I don't know how to do it. to make amends. Please forgive me and give me the strength to ask for forgiveness too."
- Let's say you've just had a job interview. You can say, for example, "Thank you, God, for arranging this interview for me. Please make sure they understand that I am the right person for this job and decide to hire me."
Step 5. Pray the way that feels natural to you
There is no right way to pray. Prayer must be the expression of the believer's personality. Of course, the act of praying in church or in another place of worship responds to rules related to rites and liturgy but, when you pray alone, you must not follow any particular rules, apart from that of opening yourself to God and talking to the heart.
- Some people use to bow down during prayer and close their eyes, while some religions require one to kneel or fully bow down. Whichever option you find most respectful and effective for your personal relationship with God is fine. You can pray either with your eyes open and with your head held high, or on your knees and in silent recollection.
- Some prayers are traditionally said aloud, but it is just as common to pray in silence.
Step 6. Pray with others
Praying as a group, in the company of believers who share your faith, can be a very powerful experience. It is an excellent way to understand how other people relate to God and to learn about new rites and new traditions to integrate into your daily practice. If you don't currently have a group to join, try to find one.
- You can inquire at church or at the place of worship you attend. Or you can search online for people who share your beliefs to see if meetings are organized in your area. If you can't find anything like this, consider starting a prayer group yourself.
- Some religions have groups that share prayers with friends and loved ones in need. Often within the communities prayer lists are created in favor of the sick and people living in problematic situations.
Advice
- When you talk to God, be sure to do it in the way that is most congenial to you. Don't try to emulate someone just because you think they're doing it right. Adopt the mode that seems to suit you best.
- When writing to God, use pen and paper. While it is more tiring, it allows you to be less distracted.
- The ideal is to find a quiet place to talk to God. But don't worry if you can't. Just try to make the moment sacred, despite the distractions.
- Read the Bible. God's word is His way of communicating with us and shows us how to live a better life. It is a book that has gone through all kinds of tests, with which they have undoubtedly tried to destroy it. Despite this, it is the most widely read book in the world. It is a real best seller.
