Practical Steps You Can Take Now to Get to Know God

How to Start

Decide on a specific amount of time.

Set a separate time apart from study, prayer or healing. This time is dedicated to the purpose of making yourself available to the Lord for His purposes. Your focus will be on being still before Him, not hearing, learning or receiving from Him, but simply being present with Him. So distinguish this time from other times you may have set with Him for other purposes.

Time of day. Your personal schedule will contribute to your decisions regarding when to spend time waiting on the Lord. There seems to be something particularly effective to waiting on the Lord in the mornings. Perhaps it is because the cares of the day have not entered into our mind, will and emotions. But it is often the best time to be open to instructions for the day as well as having the mindset that we are starting fresh (though the Lord wants us to learn to “start fresh” throughout the day). Ask the Lord when the best time for you is; start with something that makes sense to you, then give the Lord an opportunity to revise to fit His requirements.

Location. Pick a place that is comfortable yet not conducive to falling asleep. Make sure there are not a lot of distractions, whether visual, mental or audible. Set up a particular location for this purpose. Later you will expand that ability to wait into any situation that the Lord calls you to. Limit the number of locations that you do your waiting in, as each location is likely to have distinct distractions that will have to be overcome.

Focus on what’s going on inside, literally, what’s going on in your body. Without strain or effort, let yourself become aware of a single rhythmic element in your body, such as your breathing or heartbeat. The point here is to cooperate as much as you are able with the Lord as He begins to still your mind, will and emotions. Just listen; don’t necessarily “hear” something.