7 Spiritual Habits to Deepen Your Relationship with God

Do you ever feel like your relationship with God could be closer, deeper, or more meaningful? Maybe you’ve wondered how to deepen your relationship with God but aren’t quite sure where to start. You’re not alone. Just like any important relationship in our lives, our connection with God needs intentional nurturing and consistent attention.

The beautiful truth is that God has already provided everything we need to grow closer to Him. Throughout Scripture and church history, believers have discovered that certain spiritual habits create natural pathways for deepening their walk with God. These aren’t complicated religious routines or a checklist of must-do activities. Instead, think of them as simple, practical ways to open your heart and life to God’s presence and transformation.

Whether you’re just beginning your faith journey or you’ve been walking with God for years, these seven spiritual habits can help refresh and strengthen your relationship with Him. They’re not about earning God’s love – you already have that. Rather, they’re about positioning yourself to experience more of His presence and power in your daily life.

Before we dive into these practices, take a moment to ask God to show you which of these habits He wants to develop in your life right now. Remember, spiritual growth isn’t about doing everything at once – it’s about taking faithful steps forward, one day at a time.

How to Deepen Your Relationship with God Through Daily Habits

These seven spiritual habits have been practiced by believers throughout history, each one offering a unique way to draw closer to God. While they might seem simple, their impact on your spiritual life can be profound. As we explore each habit, consider how you might incorporate it into your daily routine in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.

Are you ready to explore these transformative habits? Let’s begin with the foundation of all spiritual growth: prayer.

Before we explore each habit in detail, I’ve created a free workbook to help you implement these practices in your daily life. This practical guide includes tracking sheets, reflection prompts, and action steps for each habit. Subscribe below to receive your copy and join our email community:

1. Prayer: Cultivating Daily Communication with God

Think about your closest, healthiest relationships. They’re built on consistent, open communication – sharing your heart, listening, and being present with each other. Your relationship with God works the same way, and prayer is your direct line of communication with Him.

Prayer isn’t about following a rigid formula or using the perfect words. It’s about honest conversation with your loving heavenly Father. The apostle Paul encourages us,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV)

This invitation to bring everything to God shows us that no concern is too small and no challenge is too big for prayer.

Making Prayer a Daily Habit

Here are some practical ways to develop a consistent prayer life:

1. Start Small but Stay Consistent: Begin with 5-10 minutes each day. It’s better to pray consistently for a few minutes than to attempt long sessions that you can’t maintain.
2. Create a Prayer Space: Designate a specific place for your prayer time – maybe a comfortable chair, a quiet corner, or even your car during your morning commute.
3. Use a Prayer Journal: Writing down your prayers helps you stay focused and provides a beautiful record of God’s faithfulness over time.
4. Set Regular Times: Attach prayer to existing habits like your morning coffee, lunch break, or evening routine. As Paul reminds us, we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV).

Prayer is fundamental to deepening your relationship with God because it opens a direct line of communication with Him. Remember, prayer is less about perfection and more about presence. God delights in spending time with you, and He’s always ready to listen.

2. Scripture Reading: Hearing God’s Voice through His Word

If prayer is how we speak to God, Scripture is primarily how He speaks to us. The Bible isn’t just an ancient text or a collection of good advice – it’s living and active, capable of transforming your life from the inside out.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105, NKJV)

When you make Bible reading a daily habit, you’re giving God consistent opportunities to guide you, encourage you, and reveal more of His character to you. The apostle Paul reminds us:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV)

Making Scripture Reading a Daily Habit

Regular Bible reading is essential for deepening your relationship with God because it helps you know His character and understand His will. Here are practical ways to develop a consistent Bible reading practice:

1. Choose a Specific Time: Whether it’s early morning, lunch break, or before bed, select a time when you’re most alert and least likely to be interrupted.
2. Start with a Plan: Begin with shorter books like John, James, or Philippians. Use a Bible reading plan to guide you through Scripture systematically.
3. Use Study Tools: Consider using:
   • A study Bible with helpful notes and context
   • Bible apps that offer daily readings and devotionals
   • A journal to record insights and questions
   • Trusted commentaries for deeper understanding
4. Read for Quality, Not Quantity: It’s better to understand and apply one verse deeply than to rush through several chapters without reflection. Take time to meditate on what you read, asking:
   • What does this reveal about God?
   • How does this apply to my life today?
   • What action should I take in response?

Recall Joshua’s encouragement:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8, NKJV)

Don’t feel pressured to understand everything at once. Bible reading is a journey, and God will faithfully reveal what you need to know as you consistently spend time in His Word, because,

As you deepen your relationship with God through the first 2 habits of prayer and Scripture, worship becomes a natural response.

3. Worship: Surrendering Your Heart to God

Worship is far more than singing songs on Sunday morning – it’s a lifestyle of recognizing and responding to God’s worth, majesty, and love. Jesus teaches us:

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24, NKJV)

You may be asking, “What does jesus mean by worshipping in spirit and truth?” Fair question, I’ve asked that many times when encountering this passage!

Jesus was speaking to people who, like many today, viewed salvation as something they needed to do or earn. But He was teaching a revolutionary truth: salvation isn’t about what we do – it’s about what He does for us.

In the same way, worship isn’t limited to our weekly church gatherings. When Jesus speaks of worshipping in spirit and truth, He’s describing a lifestyle of those who receive Him, because He is truth. True worship flows from a heart that’s captivated by God’s presence and goodness. As the psalmist declares:

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:2, NKJV)

Making Worship a Daily Habit

Here are some practical ways to cultivate a lifestyle of worship in your daily routine:

1. Start Your Day in Praise: Begin each morning by expressing gratitude and acknowledging God’s presence in your life. This sets the tone for your entire day.
2. Create a Worship Atmosphere:
   • Build a playlist of worship music for different moments of your day
   • Listen to worship songs during your commute or daily tasks
   • Set aside quiet moments to simply sit in God’s presence
3. Practice Gratitude: Keep a thanksgiving journal or set daily reminders to pause and thank God for His blessings, both big and small.
4. Worship Through Service: Remember that serving others can be an act of worship when done with a heart focused on glorifying God.
5. Be Present in the Moment: Train yourself to recognize God’s handiwork in everyday situations – from nature’s beauty to answered prayers to divine appointments with others.

Worship isn’t about creating an emotional experience – it’s about choosing to honor God in every aspect of your life. Whether you’re feeling spiritually high or walking through a valley, worship remains your privilege and pathway to experiencing God’s presence under any and all of life’s circumstances.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. (Hebrews 12:28, ESV)

4. Fasting: Aligning Your Focus with God

Fasting might seem like an ancient practice with little relevance to modern life, but it remains one of the most powerful ways to realign your heart with God’s. Jesus didn’t say “if you fast,” but rather:

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen. (Matthew 6:16-18, NKJV)

The purpose of fasting isn’t to earn God’s favor or to appear spiritual to others. Instead, it’s about creating space in your life to focus more intently on God. The prophet Joel reminds us:

Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. (Joel 2:12, ESV)

Making Fasting a Spiritual Habit

Here are practical ways to incorporate fasting into your spiritual life. Don’t feel pressured to master fasting all at once – remember that like any spiritual habit, fasting is something you grow into over time.

Start where you are, and let God guide you into deeper experiences of this powerful discipline. The key is to begin with manageable steps that you can sustain and build upon.

1. Start Small:
   • Begin with a single meal
   • Try a sunrise-to-sunset fast
   • Choose specific days of the week or month
2. Choose Your Fast Wisely:
   • Traditional food fasts
   • Social media or entertainment fasts
   • Technology fasts
   • Whatever normally consumes your time and attention
3. Plan Your Fast:
   • Set clear start and end times
   • Determine how you’ll use the extra time
   • Prepare yourself spiritually and physically
   • Consider any health conditions (consult your doctor if needed)
4. Focus Your Fast:
   • Use hunger pangs or cravings as reminders to pray
   • Replace normal activities with Scripture reading
   • Journal your experience and insights
   • Listen for God’s guidance

Keep in mind, fasting isn’t about depriving yourself – it’s about making more room for God in your life. When you temporarily set aside physical needs or daily distractions, you create space to experience God’s presence more deeply.

💡 Reminder: Before undertaking any form of fasting involving food, especially if you have health conditions or concerns, consult with your medical practitioner to ensure it is safe for you. Keep in mind, fasting isn’t limited to food—it can also involve stepping away from activities like social media or leisure time to create space for spiritual growth.

5. Fellowship: Growing Together with Other Believers

God never intended for you to walk your faith journey alone. From the very beginning, He declared, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and this principle extends beyond marriage into our spiritual lives. Scripture encourages us:

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25, NKJV)

Just as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), believers need each other to grow and mature in faith.

Making Fellowship a Regular Habit

Here are practical ways to build meaningful spiritual relationships. Remember that deep connections take time to develop, so be patient and consistent in your efforts to build community:

1. Commit to Regular Church Attendance:
   • Choose a Bible-teaching church; whether in a traditional setting or a simple house church, the important thing is to regularly be with other believers
   • Arrive early or stay late to connect with others
   • Consider serving in a ministry team
2. Join a Small Group:
   • Look for groups that match your life stage or interests
   • Be willing to try several before finding the right fit
   • Commit to regular attendance
3. Build One-on-One Relationships:
   • Find a spiritual mentor
   • Consider mentoring someone else
   • Schedule regular times to casually be with fellow believers, like going for coffee
4. Create Opportunities for Connection:
   • Host a Bible study in your home
   • Organize group activities
   • Share meals together

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20, NKJV)

Consider that authentic fellowship goes beyond surface-level conversations. True biblical community involves sharing life’s joys and struggles, praying together, studying God’s Word together, and helping each other grow in faith.

Don’t let past hurts or disappointments keep you from experiencing the gift of Christian fellowship – it’s worth the effort to find and build meaningful spiritual relationships.

6. Serving: Demonstrating God’s Love in Action

Following Jesus means following His example of servant leadership. He showed us that true greatness comes through serving others:

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45, NKJV)

You are not going to score any extra points with God through service, and it isn’t just another task on your spiritual to-do list – it’s a natural overflow of God’s love working through you. Peter reminds us:

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10, NKJV)

Making Service a Regular Habit

Here are practical ways to develop a servant’s heart. Remember that serving isn’t about earning God’s favor or impressing others – it’s about reflecting His love to a world that desperately needs it:

1. Start Where You Are:
   • Look for needs in your immediate circle
   • Use your existing skills and talents
   • Begin with small acts of service
2. Serve in Your Church:
   • Join a ministry team
   • Help with practical needs
   • Support special events
   • Volunteer in children’s or youth ministry
3. Reach Into Your Community:
   • Partner with local organizations
   • Support missions efforts
   • Help elderly neighbors
   • Participate in community outreach
4. Make Service a Lifestyle:
   • Look for daily opportunities to serve
   • Include your family in service projects
   • Be available for “divine appointments”

Jesus teaches us that when we serve others, we’re actually serving Him:

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:40, NKJV)

DOn’t forget that serving isn’t about grand gestures – it’s about consistency and love. Sometimes the most meaningful service happens in simple moments: an encouraging word, a helping hand, or a listening ear. Ask God to show you where and how He wants you to serve, then take steps of obedience as He leads.

7. Reflection and Rest: Finding God in Stillness

In our constantly connected world, intentional quiet time with God might be the most countercultural – and most essential – spiritual habit we can develop. The psalmist reminds us:

Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, NKJV)

This call to stillness isn’t just about physical rest; it’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and recognize God’s sovereignty in our lives. The practice of Sabbath rest isn’t just an Old Testament concept – it’s a gift from God for our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. (Exodus 20:8-10, NKJV)

Making Reflection and Rest Regular Habits

Here are practical ways to incorporate stillness and rest into your spiritual life. You probably realize that in our busy world, these practices often don’t “just happen” – they require intentional decisions and boundaries. Here are some tips to help:

1. Create Daily Quiet Time:
   • Start with just 10-15 minutes of silence
   • Use the Abide Bible and Journals for guided reflection
   • Journal your thoughts, prayers, and God’s responses
   • Practice listening prayer
2. Establish Weekly Sabbath:
   • Set aside a consistent day or period for rest
   • Turn off notifications and screens
   • Engage in life-giving activities
   • Spend unhurried time with God and loved ones
3. Practice Regular Reflection:
   • Review your day with God each evening
   • Notice where you saw His hand at work
   • Consider what He might be teaching you
   • Express gratitude for His faithfulness
4. Find Your Sacred Space:
   • Designate a quiet corner in your home
   • Spend time in nature
   • Create an environment that helps you focus on God

His mercies are new every morning, giving us fresh opportunities to pause and reflect:

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23, NKJV)

Understand, rest isn’t laziness – it’s an act of trust in God’s provision and sovereignty. When we pause to reflect and rest, we declare that our worth isn’t in what we do but in whose we are. These moments of stillness often become the times when we hear God’s voice most clearly.

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Conclusion: Your Next Step in How to Deepen Your Relationship with God

These seven spiritual habits aren’t a formula for earning God’s love – you already have that. Instead, they’re time-tested pathways for experiencing more of His presence and power in your daily life.

As you’ve discovered how to deepen your relationship with God through these seven habits, remember that each one offers unique opportunities for meaningful growth

Don’t forget, spiritual growth isn’t about perfection – it’s about progression. You don’t need to master all seven habits at once. Instead, ask God which one habit He wants you to focus on right now. Maybe it’s:

• Setting aside specific time for prayer each day
• Starting a Bible reading plan
• Finding new ways to worship throughout your week
• Exploring the practice of fasting
• Getting connected with a small group
• Looking for opportunities to serve
• Creating space for reflection and rest

The key is to start somewhere and trust God to guide your growth. As you incorporate these habits into your life, you’ll find that they’re less about checking boxes and more about creating natural rhythms that keep you connected to God’s heart.

Your Turn to Take Action

Which of these spiritual habits resonates most with you right now? Take a moment to pray about it, then commit to taking one small step this week. Remember, God is far more interested in your heart’s direction than your perfect performance.

Share the Journey

We’re all on this journey together, and sometimes the greatest gift we can give another believer is a gentle nudge in the right direction. Think about it –

• How many of your friends are longing for a deeper walk with God but aren’t sure where to start?
• Maybe they’re feeling stuck in their spiritual growth and need fresh perspective.
• When you share this resource, it might be exactly what someone else needs to take their next step with God.

If this post has encouraged you, would you consider sharing it with others? Use the social media buttons below to help your friends and family discover these practical ways to deepen their relationship with God. Together, we can encourage each other to grow closer to Him, one habit at a time.