“I want a relationship with Jesus, but I just don’t know where to start.”

Maybe you’ve felt that way too.

If you want a relationship with Jesus but don’t know where to start, you are not alone. Growing closer to God can feel overwhelming when you’re unsure where to start.

But the good news is this: you do not have to have everything figured out before coming to Jesus.

You don’t need perfect faith or all the answers.

You simply begin by coming to Him.

If you’re starting your faith journey or wanting to grow closer to God, I hope this post feels like a good place to begin.

If You Feel Unsure, You’re Not Alone

When you have a desire to grow in your relationship with Jesus, you may feel unsure about where to start and even question if you should even begin.

For starters, that desire to grow closer to God is not from you, friend, but from God Himself.

We read in John 6:44, Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day”. Wow! We can praise Him for pursuing our hearts even in our fallen, sinful state.

If God has put this desire in your heart, but you are questioning where to start or even wanting to begin, know you are not alone in this tension.

Maybe you’re telling yourself, “it all seems so complicated and overwhelming”, or maybe you’re feeling unworthy of being loved by God because of your past mistakes.

Friend, you are not alone in this questioning. God can handle our doubts and has sent His one and only son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins- past, present, and future.

You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out

When we start something brand new, it can feel intimidating because we’re beginners. We don’t know the ins and outs, we’re awkward, and we can even stumble our way through the start.

But as the days go by and we keep going, we find ourselves changing and even looking forward to the challenges ahead because our confidence grows.

This is how our faith walk looks, too.

We start small, like a mustard seed, Jesus says, but then the seed begins to sprout as we keep seeking to know God, and over time our faith grows into a beautiful wildflower that God waters daily with His Word.

A newbie doesn’t begin as an expert with all the answers, and when we first begin seeking a relationship with Jesus, we don’t need to have everything figured out either.

Remember- God isn’t after our performance, He’s after our heart. Let’s start there.

Start with Knowing Jesus

If you think about the close relationships in your life, be it your spouse, children, parents, siblings, close friends, etc., these tight-knit relationships grew over time.

You know these people well because you intentionally took time to get to know them on a deeper level.

With knowing Jesus, we start by spending time with Him. This can be done through prayer, daily Bible reading, journaling, meditating, and talking to God honestly.

It’s not just about knowing who Jesus is, but about knowing Him.

As we start to spend more time with God, we get to know Him more intimately. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. This verse is so powerful for new and seasoned believers.

Intentionally seek Him often.

Simple Ways to Begin Your Faith Journey

If you’re starting your faith journey or want to grow closer to God, these simple ways below are a good place to start.

Start with Reading the Bible

It has been said that only 11% of Christians have read their Bible in its entirety. If we want to grow in our relationship with Jesus, reading the Bible is essential to our faith journey.

The Bible is God’s love story to us.

If you want to know who God is, read your Bible.

If you want to know who you are, read your Bible.

And if you want to grow in your relationship with Jesus, read your Bible.

As you begin to read God’s Word, it will change you from the inside out. You will experience a renewal of your mind.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world,  but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.

When you pursue God through His living Word, He will change your heart. You will begin to see life through a Biblical lens and not a secular lens.

This is a blessing of being made new.

Talk to God Honestly

In your faith journey, you will experience challenges.

You may experience a loss of friendships because you pursue a relationship with Jesus. Talk to God about your heartbreak.

You may experience tensions in your marriage- bring it before God and ask Him for peace and wisdom.

Moreover, you may experience sickness, overwhelm, and family divisions.

Friend, with every challenge and circumstance that comes your way, talk to God honestly. He can handle your pain, anger, and sadness, and will give you peace that surpasses all understanding.

This is how you grow in your relationship with Him.

Don’t Overcomplicate Prayer

Furthermore, spending time in prayer will help grow your relationship with Jesus.

Prayer is incredibly intimate because it’s vulnerable.

Prayer is a time to speak to God from the depths of your heart.

But sometimes we can overcomplicate prayer and make it more of a chore.

It’s not about having all the right words to say or sounding eloquent. And it’s also not something we rush over just to get it done.

The One who made the heavens and earth hears our prayers. It’s Him we’re speaking to. What a gift!

Pray honestly, pray in faith, and pray often.

Find Christian Community

Jesus Himself had community. He had friends He connected with and built relationships with. They prayed together, encouraged and laughed with each other, cried together, and broke bread together.

If community was valuable to Jesus, it should be worthwhile in our faith journey too.

When looking to find a Christian community, attending a local church is a great start. You can meet families who live locally and have the same values.

You can also join a Bible study through your local church and grow your community this way.

Further, praying to God about finding a solid Christian community is also important. Pray for His direction and discernment in finding a local church that is Biblically sound and Spirit-led.

Pray that He would bring friends into your life who love Jesus too and will help you grow closer to Him.

Faith Grows Slowly

If you’ve planted a seed before, you know how slow the process can be before you see a sprout appearing.

Every day you check for moist soil and water when needed, you place it in the sunlight, and patiently wait for a sprout to appear.

At first, it seems like nothing is happening. Weeks go by, and nothing seems to be changing, but you continue watering, giving it sunlight.

Then one day, boom- there comes a sprout through the thick soil.

This is how your faith journey goes, too.

You start spending time reading your Bible daily, praying often, attending a local church, and maybe joining a Bible study. At first, life seems the same, but with new routines.

Then one day, a verse that has been confusing you suddenly makes sense. You start to notice how you’re asking God what to do in difficult decisions.

It’s in small moments like this where your faith grows. When nothing appears to change, God is moving mountains and making changes even in the ordinary.

Keep choosing Him daily, friend.

As your faith grows, small daily rhythms can help keep your heart rooted in Christ
(3 Daily Rhythms for a Peaceful Home)

Jesus Meets You Where You Are

Finally, you don’t have to have it all figured out to grow your relationship with Jesus.

He meets you right where you are- in your mess, in your sin, and in your doubts.

Friend, giving your life to Christ in full surrender is the most important decision you will ever make.

Jesus died on a cross for you and me. He gave His life so we could have eternal life with Him.

The good news is- death couldn’t hold him. Jesus, three days later, was resurrected, conquered death, and now sits at the right hand of the Father advocating for us.

Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”.

Jesus loves you, and He wants a relationship with you, friend.

I pray you no longer walk blindly without hope, but with full sight of His goodness and mercy today.

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