I have always believed that I don’t need to know every verse in the Bible, or memorise it inside out. What matters more to me is building a relationship with God based on my understanding of Him—His greatness, what He stands for, and how He loves me.

I believe faith is relational. It isn’t meant to be about checking off rigid rules: when to pray, how to pray, or reciting scriptures by rote. To me, the Bible is a guide, a map, a lens through which I can see God’s character. It helps me understand who God truly is, and how my faith can grow from that understanding. But the heart of faith is connecting with Him, learning and sensing His heart, and experiencing His love—His love for exactly who you are and who He designed you to be. God’s love isn’t conditional. If you differ, don’t “fit in,” or feel boxed by identity, that doesn’t make Him love you any less. On the contrary, He loves you precisely as you are, and He wants you to be your authentic self.

I value relationship over rule-following; intimacy over mere information.

Relationship over Rule-Following

I want to build a connection with God as a living presence—responding to Him personally, letting His love shape what I do. I choose to pray with honesty rather than follow a fixed structure. I value an open, genuine relationship with Him—one where I can share my struggles and even tell Him I’m angry. God does not judge me for that; He respects where I am and guides me toward healing in His timing. I seek to be kind and compassionate—not because it’s prescribed or expected, but because that’s what God’s love moves me toward.

I generally don’t like strict rules. I feel that being required to do certain things to please God—specific prayers, certain behaviour—is not how He intends righteousness. Doing things just because they are expected or seen as “correct” won’t lead to deeper understanding or intimacy with Him.

Intimacy Over Mere Information

Intimacy is about experiencing God’s presence in my life. It’s feeling His love, understanding His character, and allowing my response to come from the deepest parts of my heart.

Memorising information about God isn’t the same as knowing Him intimately. You can know all the doctrines and facts, even the entire Bible, but if your heart isn’t moved, then something vital is missing.

True faith grows when your heart and life are in dialogue with God. Intimacy involves feelings, trust, presence—not just knowing about Him. Prioritising relationship and intimacy keeps faith alive and personal; it helps spirituality stay away from becoming a routine or checklist. Building intimacy allows God to transform you from the inside out, rather than simply collecting knowledge or following rules.

Being close to God often means trusting Him, staying open, and being willing to let Him reveal Himself in ways meaningful for you. The ways you understand, pray, reflect, and live in love matter just as much—if not more—than rote knowledge.

There are many ways to cultivate a relationship with God, but I want to focus on nurturing an authentic connection with Him.

7 Ways to Nurture an Authentic Relationship with God

1. Approach God as He is, not as you expect Him to be.
   Let go of your preconceptions about who God should be. Accept that His ways, His timing, and His understanding surpass yours. In doing so, you open yourself to experiencing His love and wisdom in unexpected ways.
2. Speak honestly and openly with Him.
   Don’t just stick to formal prayers—make time to share everything: joy, confusion, anger, pain, gratitude. Be authentic. Don’t feel you have to “spiritualise” your words. God wants realness—your honest heart.
3. Listen as much as you speak.
   God often communicates in subtle ways—through peace, intuition, resonant scripture, circumstances, or even people. Carve out quiet moments in your day just to tune in to His voice.
4. Let your life speak the language of your faith.
   How you treat others, the decisions you make, how you respond in relationships and difficulty—these reflect your connection with God. Live with integrity, love, and compassion. These actions deepen your relationship more organically than mere ritual.
5. Embrace vulnerability.
   Don’t try to be perfect before God. Allow yourself to feel and express doubts, grief, fears—even when you question His presence in your life. Being real and vulnerable with God builds intimacy and lets you experience His comfort and guidance.
6. Recognise His presence everywhere.
   It’s easy to look for God only in church or scripture. But His presence is also in relationships, nature, music, art, beauty, acts of kindness. Pay attention to moments that stir gratitude, awe, peace. These are touch points of connection.
7. Trust the process.
   This can be one of the hardest steps. There will be times you hurt or feel distant, times you don’t sense God close or wonder why He isn’t answering. But faith is dynamic, not static. Some days are closer, some distant—and that’s okay. Keep seeking God in small ways. Over time, depth will grow in the relationship.

Final Words

The heart of an authentic connection with God is trust, honesty, and attentiveness. You’re building friendship, partnership, dialogue—not trying to memorise facts or earn approval. Your relationship with God should be less about what you “know,” and more about what you experience, reflect on, and live out.