How to Grow Spiritually in Daily Life:
Practical Christian Living Tips for an Experiential Relationship with God
Living a Christ-centered life, with the goal of growing spiritually, isn’t just about Sunday worship or occasional prayer; there are enough lukewarm Christians and if you’re reading this, you are definitely not one of them. To live a Christ-centered life is a daily journey of faith and intentional action. Your intention is vital because where your intention and focus go, energy flows. This has been proven scientifically and it’s just the way God made us. You will eventually connect with whatever you focus on, so this must be understood as a foundational principle.
Now, spiritual growth doesn’t happen overnight, but small, consistent steps can deepen your relationship with God and transform your life. Here are some practical tips that you can implement into your daily life, to help you grow spiritually and actually grow into an experiential relationship with God.
1. Start Your Day with Prayer
Begin each morning by dedicating your day to God. The moment you wake up, you should remind yourself that “this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24). A simple prayer of gratitude and guidance can set the tone for a spiritually fulfilling day and acknowledging God shows Him your love for Him and your desire to put Him first. Next, speak to God about your plans (funny sidenote: it has been said that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans, Lol! Ok, back to the topic at hand). You will always want to make sure you ask for wisdom (James 1:5) daily, and invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you; after all, this is one of Holy Spirit’s many roles (see John 16:13). This simple request, if heartfelt, will help develop humility, which God loves in His people. Remember, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Even five minutes of focused prayer can bring clarity and peace.
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
In my walk with God, for over 20 years now, I have learned that if you can view prayer in the following way, it will be incredibly easy for you to develop a strong and easy prayer life. What’s my secret? Well, prayer is simply: communication with God from an honest heart. If you are willing to unlearn what religion says about prayer needing to be repetitive, religious-sounding and ritualistic, you can then be free from the carnal mindset and truly be free to be yourself when you pray. Pray how? Simply speak to God, whether aloud or in your mind (He can hear your thoughts, but the devil can’t) and be truthful, honest, genuine. Speak to God as your friend & Father, because He is and He is right there, wanting you to trust Him. He already knows the truth of your heart, so just be yourself. As you learn to do this, you will find that prayer is as easy as talking to someone you love; and there is no better friend than God (Jesus and Holy Spirit), the One Who created you. He is after relationship and fellowship with you, not religiosity or self-righteousness. The Pharisees in scripture were like this and it didn’t go so well for them, did it? Prayer is simply communicating with God from an honest heart.
In addition, if you are willing to admit that everyone “talks to themselves” (in their minds), then you can also learn to talk to God in your mind/heart. Simply direct your inner-dialogue to God. Learn to be aware of God knowing your thoughts as you conduct your inner-dialogue. Become aware of His Awareness of you.
Lastly, since prayer is about developing a relationship with God, it can’t be an actual relationship if you’re the only one talking (one-way communication). This took me a long time to realize, so pay attention and grasp this! In your praying to God, make sure you take time to be quiet and practice active listening. It takes time, but this will develop your spiritual hearing and capacity to hear God. As you ask questions, write down the thoughts that come to you. This can also be like journaling, but let it be in response to your prayers. Remember, no healthy relationship can exist without 2-way communication.
2. Make Bible Reading a Daily Habit
God’s Word is the foundation of our spiritual growth. Not only do you need to learn the historical aspect of the Bible, such as: timelines, well-known patriarchs, prophets, parables, but the Bible is the Spirit-inspired words of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Even though God used man to physically record His Words, we can trust that God allowed the Scriptures to be preserved for generations to follow.
Set aside time each day to read and meditate on the scriptures. Start with a manageable plan, such as reading one chapter a day or focusing on a specific theme like faith, grace, or love. Use tools like Bible apps or devotionals to stay consistent and gain deeper insights.
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
While the Bible is physical, we must realize that the Scriptures and words in the Bible are Spiritual. The Author of the Scriptures is Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16) and we know God is Spirit (John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17), therefore, the words are Spiritual and can only be understood spiritually. Anyone who has been born-again, that is, born of the Spirit (John 3:5, 8; 2 Cor 5:17) now has the Holy Spirit within them and therefore, they have the ability to understand the Bible ONLY with the help from the Author, Holy Spirit. You see, the Scriptures cannot be understood as God intended, simply with the natural mind, but rather, they must be revealed by the Spirit of God. This explains why atheists, agnostics and intellectual people can read the Bible and never grasp the actual revelation and truth of “the light of the Glorious Gospel” (2 Cor 4:3-4). These readers never change or become transformed because they literally can’t understand it as it must be understood spiritually (and that requires having God’s Spirit in them). God confirms this in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 in-depth and in Proverbs 3:5-6 as He warns against leaning on our own understanding. Doing so is strongly tied to pride, which God abhors.
Since we now understand that we cannot receive the spiritual truths of the Bible without Holy Spirit revealing them, we must always invite Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all Truth (John 16:13) before we read the Bible. Practicing this simple and humble action will make all the difference! Proverbs 2:3-5 tells us to cry out for wisdom and understanding and Proverbs 4:7 encourages us that wisdom is the principal thing and in all our getting, to get understanding.
Whenever a new believer asks me how to read the Bible, I always encourage them to begin with the Gospel of John (because he was the most intimate in his love for Jesus) and then to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts (written by Luke) and down to the book of Revelation. In addition to this, the Holy Spirit once showed me an easy way to incorporate reading the Psalms and Book of Proverbs. Since there are 150 chapters in Psalms and 31 chapters in Proverbs, a new believer (or even a seasoned believer) could read through both each month. It would simply take reading 1 chapter from Proverbs per day (adjust for months that have 28-30 days) and 5 chapters from Psalms per day (take into account that Ps 119 is the longest one, while others are quite short). Following this easy method, will help a believer nurture their soul with God’s Words on a consistent basis.
Next, as one grows and learns to be led by God’s Spirit (Romans 8:14), one can allow themselves to read wherever they feel led to. What matters is filling ourselves with God’s Word
Lastly, having asked Holy Spirit to open up our understanding so that we can receive revelation from the Scriptures, we must also practice pondering what we are reading. Pondering, thinking about and meditating on God’s Word is all closely related. By doing so, we allow Holy Spirit to take us deeper into the meaning of the Scriptures and reveal various layers of understanding to us. Meditating on the Scriptures, on God, within our hearts is found throughout the Bible (see Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2: 63:6, 77:12, 104:34, 119:15, 78, 97, 99, 148; 143:5, Gen 24:63, etc).
3. Practice Gratitude and Reflection
Gratitude shifts your focus from problems to blessings and from lack to provision. At the end of each day, reflect on the ways God has worked in your life. Keep a gratitude journal where you list three things, you’re thankful for. This practice helps cultivate a heart of thankfulness and awareness of God’s presence. Having an attitude of gratitude may not seem like a big deal, but it is actually a huge deal when you understand the “super power” of living in constant gratitude.
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
Through various life trials and long years of being alone during a “wilderness season” (13 years actually), I learned to be grateful for the little I had. I would find myself talking to God in my mind all the time (this developed my strong relationship with God, keeping me dependent on Him). Much of my communication with God would be various forms of saying “Thank You”. I was working 2-4 jobs throughout those years, living in an expensive county in northern VA and on my own. I had no friends, was estranged from my family for a long season and it seemed all I did was work and sleep. It was hard, but I KNEW that I only had the strength to keep going because God was with me, so saying “Thank You God” became a part of my everyday communication with Him. I meant it too. I say all this to share with you that through intentional practice and simple understanding of your dependence on God (this is also humility), you can easily develop a life of constant gratitude, which God loves. The Bible continuously reminds us to be thankful and give thanks to the Lord (1 Thess. 5:18, Ps. 92:1-2, 118:1, 136:26, Eph 5:20, Phil 4:6, etc).
Gratitude is indeed a superpower, but how you might ask? Needless to say, that the opposite of giving thanks is complaining and God warns us to not complain (He was angry with the Israelites because instead of being thankful, they murmured and complained continually; see Num 11:1, Phil 2:14). When you choose to be thankful and grateful, you are focusing on what you have, God’s provision and it shows God how much you appreciate Him. It is also an act of faith and helps keep your focus on what is good (Phil 4:8). In the spirit, when you are thankful, you highlight yourself and thanksgiving is of the Kingdom of God, therefore when you align yourself with God’s Kingdom, you will begin to attract more to be thankful for. I could go real deep, explaining the science of it all, but simply understand that “like attracts like”. Just as “misery loves company”, so also happy people like to be around other happy people, etc. This is a universal, spiritual law. Please realize that God created ALL spiritual laws, not the devil or new agers. We must not be ignorant of God’s spiritual laws, therefore, the more thankful you are, the more good things you will align with and therefore, draw into your life. Alternatively, complaining will only align you with more negativity and you will also bring about more of that into your life, to complain about. It becomes a vicious cycle. So be thankful always!
Another powerful tip from my personal relationship with God is to make it a habit to think about, remember and ponder all the times God came through for you. It could be a healing, deliverance, answered prayer, divine protection, a beautiful dream or vision, personal encounter with Him, etc. By reminiscing and meditating on what He has done, it keeps you humble, ever-grateful and so in love with God. Isn’t that what we want? King David did this constantly. He would remember and think about God’s goodness, His laws, acts (see Ps. 77:11-12; Ps 119). Jeremiah also speaks on this in Lamentations 3:21-26.
4. Serve Others with Love
Spiritual growth often happens when we focus on others. Look for ways to serve, whether through volunteering, helping a neighbor, or simply offering a kind word to someone in need. Serving others not only reflects God’s love but also strengthens your faith as you witness His work through you.
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
You will find that when you are feeling down, one of the best things you can do is something kind for someone else. Helping someone else, ends up helping you. Why is this? We were created in love, by God, to love. Afterall, God is love (see 1 John 4:16). Serving by helping others, whether they’re Christians or not, is nurturing to our souls as well. Some of the simplest ways to do this are to make eye contact, smile, say “please” and “thank you” when out in public. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit, after all (Galatians 5:22-23).
As you grow and develop your Christ-like character, you’ll soon learn that you cannot give what you do not have. “You cannot pour from an empty cup” as it is sometimes said. The way you treat others is a reflection of how well you know God intimately. Notice I said “know God”, not know about God. To know God intimately results from a deep hunger expressed through seeking to know Him, His ways and to encounter Him, experientially. God promises that if you will seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him! (Deut 4:29-31; Jer 29:13; Matt 7:7). So, if He promised that you will find Him, then it’s impossible to seek Him and not encounter Him. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? You must seek with all your heart, nothing held back, no preconceived expectations or limitations on what God can do. Seek to KNOW Him and not for what He can do or give you and you will absolutely find Him, as I and so many others have. As you then develop in learning His ways & His Voice, your personal relationship with Him will reveal His Love for you. As you are transformed by His Love, you will be filled with His Love and thus, if you’ve truly understood His Love, Grace, Mercy and such, it will be obvious by how you treat and serve others. You will treat others to the degree that you’ve understood, by revelation, His Love for you. Until then, you can still serve, but truly treat others as you would want others to treat you (Luke 6:31 & Matt 7:12). This is the “Golden Rule”.
5. Surround Yourself with Godly Community
Fellowship with other believers is crucial for spiritual growth. Join a small group, attend Bible studies, or connect with a local church community. Sharing experiences, studying the Word together, and praying for one another builds accountability and encouragement.
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
I must admit that my experience in how I began my relationship with God was anything but normal. It was an ex-girlfriend’s mother who invited me to church one Sunday and then on a Wednesday, for the youth service. I was about 18 and went out of respect. In the youth service, something in me “awoke”. I don’t remember what was preached, but I remember enjoying the worship songs and something about the message about God, just made me feel connected. Somehow, in a supernatural and inexplicable way, it felt familiar. So as to not go off on too much of a tangent, I’ll just say that I went to church on and off for 1 year and then one day, while on a plane back to Virginia, something in me said “I need to go to church consistently”. Upon arriving, on a Sunday, I didn’t even go home, but straight to church. I committed to consistent attendance and I didn’t realize then, that it was Holy Spirit drawing me to God. I suddenly became very hungry and bought a Bible for $1 and read it daily. I began to worship God in my room, almost daily, watch Christian Television and listen to other preachers who had the Presence of God upon their lives. I became hungrier and hungrier to know God, personally. This is where I prove that my early days in fellowship with other believers wasn’t the norm. After 2 years of consistent church attendance, my spiritual hunger and “fire” for God became bold I was eventually, rejected by the youth pastor in a pivotal moment where God spoke to me. God wanted me to give a short message to the youth. The pastor didn’t allow it and when he disagreed, I felt as if a large door had been slammed upon me. It wasn’t my pain though. I knew I was feeling the Lord in me, being rejected. That night, I decided that since they rejected the Lord, I didn’t want to be there anymore. Little did I know that God was calling me out of the church and within a few months, I was growing by leaps and bounds, on my own with God. All that to say, that I didn’t grow up with a community of believers and so I wanted to mention this in case, you are one of those. If you are, you are not alone. Trust in God. Rejection is a part of one’s spiritual walk and as long as you walk in love, humility and desire to know and please God above all, when you are rejected, you are being counted worthy to be rejected for His Name’s sake. That is an honor that not many “Christians” ever have. The devil doesn’t really bother those who aren’t a spiritual threat to him.
Now, let’s talk about what will likely apply to most of you. My best advise would be to ensure you surround yourselves with a church community where the believers actually live like God’s Word tells us to. As you read the Scriptures and you learn what God says, likes, hates and what He is like, then you will hopefully, begin to submit yourself to letting Him transform you. As you begin to walk according to His ways, as revealed by Holy Spirit, in your, you will learn to recognize God’s ways and attributes in others, specifically those in the church. Don’t judge them, but be willing to be around those who display God’s character. If you notice hypocrisy over an extended period of time, you should separate yourself from such people because “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor 15:33). You will become like those you most hang around with. It’s not always easy to fit in and it’s a battle of self-identity, but realize that you weren’t called to “fit in”, but to be set apart (2 Cor 6:17). Ask God to help you find other believers you can fellowship with. While no church is perfect nor any person for that matter, the above advice of avoiding hypocrisy is even more important when discerning church leadership, like the pastor, and deciding where to attend church regularly. It takes time, but don’t be alarmed if you can’t find a physical church to attend that actually loves Christ and teaches by the Spirit, the Scriptures and by example.
Ideally, you will want to find a church that teaches sound Scriptural doctrine, gives freedom to the Holy Spirit to lead the services (not their agenda), that believe in the working of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12), that the five-fold ministry is still used by God today (Eph 4:11-16) and where the Pastor(s) teach from experiential knowledge from their own relationship with God. If you don’t see these foundations in a specific church, I’d recommend you run and fast, out of such churches!
As technology advances and God gives wisdom in inventions, innovations and such to mankind, you may find that your “tribe” or fellowship group is found online. Much of my spiritual walk and growth has come from faithfully, daily, listening of online ministries. What’s most important is the time you spend with God, getting to know Him, personally. This alone will establish your personal relationship with Him and help you more easily discern God in other ministers, whether in person or online.
6. Embrace Daily Worship
Worship isn’t limited to singing in church—it’s a lifestyle. Play worship music while working, praise God during a walk, or meditate on His goodness during quiet moments. Worship shifts your focus from earthly worries to God’s greatness. Worship is a supernatural & powerful weapon for a Christian!
Personal Spiritual Tips to Go Deeper:
Worship can mean several things, but what is consistent is the fact that when you worship God, you submit yourself to God. Worship is for God, but He is so amazing that it actually benefits us too! Worship is an act of humility also and expresses many things, such as your dependence on God, gratitude, love, awe and more! In addition, worship can be a sacrifice in times of hurt, pain, difficulty, confusion, but in my personal walk, I find that choosing to cry out to Him in your own words (sometimes venting, but this is not an excuse to simply complain) is liberating. Crying out to God in song, words, sometimes, simply in tears and moans/groans is all acceptable, as long as you are respecting Him and acknowledging Him as God. He is not only worthy, but as you worship Him from your heart, it draws His Presence to you, many times manifesting His Presence, in a variety of ways. His Presence can be experienced as a sense of calm, warmth, electricity-like (never painful), jolts, chills, heat, overwhelming love, grace, peace, joy, laughter, a sense of release and so many more ways!
When you worship, you make the choice to lift Jesus up because of your love for Him. In turning your focus off of your life and onto Him, by faith, you will notice that your cares lift off of you. As you focus is set on Him (Isa 26:3) you begin to connect with Him, giving Him room and access to involve Himself in your life and circumstances. Yes, God is always with you, but it’s a relationship He wants with you and He doesn’t impose Himself, therefore we do need to invite Him, give Him “permission even” so that He can move upon our lives (see Rev 3:20). In turning to God in worship, you release control of the problems and issues you face and show God He is your everything, your source, your life, your love. He will never fail you nor leave or forsake you (Joshua 1:5, Heb 13:5).
Final Thoughts
Growing spiritually is a lifelong journey, but daily practices like prayer, scripture reading, gratitude, and serving others, can help you draw closer to God. Remember, it’s not about perfection but consistency. As you walk in faith, you’ll see God working in your life in ways that bring joy, peace, and purpose. Make sure you remember that one can truly be as close to God as they desire, but you must desire that! I have revealed my closest-kept foundational secrets (since I committed to Christ in 2001) to my supernatural walk with God and it is only the “tip of the spear” to what I’ve learned. Take these steps today, read them slowly and meditate on them (looking up the Scripture references to give you practical, Biblical and spiritual understanding), apply them and watch how your spiritual life flourishes!