In all of their various forms, relationships progress through stages. Friendships, your spouse, business relationships, etc. all follow some form of a pattern. There is a beginning, where both sides start to explore whether or not this is a relationship that worth investing in. A growth phase may follow where you get to know each other better. Eventually there may come a leveling off or maintenance phase that can be healthy in some cases. For example, having as close of a business relationship as you have with your kids is unnecessary and even a little weird. Some relationships also go through recessions and may be ended entirely. This may be a gradual process over time, or a one-time disagreement.
I’m no therapist, but I do know that there is one word that is key to the trend of a relationship: communication. If you go long periods of time without communicating with someone, it’s nearly impossible to expect that relationship to grow. Likewise, ending a relationship is usually accomplished fastest by minimizing communication.
There are a few key distinctions, however, in our relationships with God compared to each other. First of all, there is no question if we need God, and no question that He wants a relationship with us. And I imagine if you asked Him how well He wants us to know Him, His answer would be simply “more”. Whether you are a 90 year old pastor or a 5 year old child, God wants you to know Him more than you do today.
And unlike with other humans, our relationship with God involves a party that is perfect. He never makes mistakes, and He lacks no knowledge. So there should be no disagreement. But should we choose to, He is also all-forgiving.
Perhaps the most important distinction in our relationship with God is that with another person, a break in communication means that both parties lose touch. But no matter how far you step away from God, or for how long, He still knows you just as well as He did the day He made you. So reconnecting with Him after a while feels more like talking to an old friend, except you don’t really have to waste any time catching each other up on missed time. He hasn’t changed, and He already knows how you’ve been. There may be a need for an apology, and you may have developed some habits that He’ll want to address, but He already knew that.
After some time apart, you’ll need to catch up on getting to know Him, but since He hasn’t changed, you find yourself picking up closer to where you left off than you might expect. And to do that, you end up right back where He wanted you all along. Communicating with Him so you can know Him more.
