There was a poll taken in the United States and people were asked if they believed in God.  Nine of ten people surveyed said they believed in God.  Of the nine who believe in God, most if not all would say that they want to have connection with the God of the universe to get His perspective on their lives.  Most if not all would want to have God give them answers to their prayers and help solve the dilemmas that they find themselves in.  All of us whether or not we believe in God find ourselves in relationships at times where we see no hope nor answers in solving the stalemates that seem to come.

If only we had a step by step plan for connecting with the God who is able to give us insight and wisdom for life’s challenges.  Well, as I was reading the bible today, I came across just such a plan and it was written by God through the writer of II Chronicles.  He says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This passage starts with a conditional “If.”  God is willing to connect with us and give us direction, but we have a responsibility in the connection.  In fact there are five important responsibilities that God spells out as to our actions.  The first responsibility is to be apart of His family and be called by His name.  Jesus speaks more clearly to this step when He talks to Nicodemus in John 3 where He tells us to become one of His children by recognizing what He did on the cross and receiving Christ into our lives.  That’s what being called by His name means.

The second step in this process of connecting with God is to humble ourselves.  The humbling process is admitting our faults and recognizing our inability to solve our problems on our own.  Humbling is admitting we can’t but He can.  The humbling process moves us to step number three where we pray and ask the God of the universe to intervene on our behalf.  Praying to God causes us to take our eyes off our self and begin to focus on the face of Christ (step 4).

When we begin to focus on God and humble ourselves, it will reveal the unhealthy choices we have made and negative attitudes we have manifest in our interaction with others.  Seeing Him and His purity shines a light on all the wrong choices and behaviors we have had which opens us to wanting to turn from the bad and seek the good.

It’s the 5 steps that we take which causes God to then act in our behalf.  When we are serious about humbling, praying, seeking, and turning, He says He hears from heaven, forgive us of our sins, and heals our land.  I know, it would be easier if we didn’t have to do anything, but that’s not God’s plan.  He wants to be in relationship with us which means that we both participate in the connection.

On this journey, connection with God is possible if only we are willing to do our part in preparing our heart and mind to interact with Him.  It only takes 5 steps.