7 Ways to Develop Your Christian Faith

Obviously, there is not a right or wrong way to approach this.

Especially in college, I have talked to a handful of peers who don't even know where to begin when becoming more faithful. That was me two years ago. I have been a Catholic my whole life. Although my relationship with going to church and God is nowhere near perfect, the past couple years I have been making steps towards strengthening my relationship with God.

As my faith has grown, I have noticed that my low times get even lower when I turn away from or become more relaxed with God. He is needed more than ever in times of weakness and pain.

Here are 7 things to think about when looking to grow your relationship with God:

1.Prayer.

Opening your heart and mind to the Lord is a perfect way to begin and continue to develop a relationship with Him. Starting and ending your day with prayer helps you reflect on your blessings and guide you through your day the way He designed it to be.

2. Bible reading.

I love the Bible app. I have talked a little bit about this in other blog posts. It is a great way to help you navigate the Bible which can be a little intimidating at first. I also recommend talking to your church about where to get a physical copy of the Bible. Begin with Genesis 1 and then jump around to John, Corinthians 1, and read some Psalms. When reading, use sticky tabs and pens to note important verses that stand out to you and connect other readings and aspects of your life. Again, there is no right or wrong way to do this, this is just what worked for me to better understand my faith.

3.Becoming more grateful.

Taking time to appreciate friends, family, and what are considered to be little moments in your every day life helps you realize all the ways God has not only answered your prayers but revealed Himself to you. These reflections of gratitude help you become a stronger believer because you will start to notice more and more things God has provided for you.

4.Talking to God throughout your day.

Setting aside time to talk to God in the morning and night is important, but it is also important to talk to Him as your day progresses-- expressing your appreciation for His blessings. When this becomes a habit, you will start to notice your life is aligning with His Will which will help you become more faithful as well.

5.Being open minded.

God is not here to solely answer your prayers and fix all the issues you have in your life. You have to be open to accepting the beauty of God's plan. When it comes to specific issues you may turn to God for, pay attention to signs from Him. He may not always reveal Himself in obvious ways but with an open mind and heart, you will start to notice His presence in your everyday life. Faith all comes together with believing, going to church, reading the Bible, prayer, and slowly becoming more aware of God's love for you. Another beautiful thing to remember is that He always forgives.

6.Talk to people.

For me, I always thought of faith as a private thing. I never like the idea of "pushing faith" onto people-- but, having honest conversations with people about faith can help others understand and encourage their relationship with God in ways they never thought of before. Spreading the Word of God helps you strengthen your relationship with Him too because you become more familiar with it and can act in ways according to His desires.

7. Write.

Writing is another amazing tool to help grow your faith. Writing down Bible verses and really analyzing each Biblical passage can help you understand and retain things better.

Like I said before, there is no right or wrong way to approach your faith. These tips are something that I noted were very helpful to my peers or myself when addressing opening our hearts to God.

Thanks for reading!

XOXO

-Lexi

Follow me on Instagram: @Lexi_Vincento & @Unlimited.Daylight