Father Adam Park is often asked questions from new and experienced worshippers alike about how they can grow closer to God. Father Park mentions that, while we believe God is always present to us, it can be easy to feel like we are disconnected from His presence and His word. This is especially true during challenging times and periods of grief.
There are many ways that we can further explore our connection to God and his teachings and, here, Father Park provides a few methods to help.
Get More Active in Your Local Church
An effective way to get closer to God is by making a point to get more active in your church. Being an active participant helps because surrounding yourself with people who share your desire to grow closer to God and being interested in learning more about God and following His word encourages you to stay the course. Through a local church or small group, you can find tools to hold yourself more accountable, access wisdom that others have accumulated through their life experiences participating in church, and even find support during times of distress or grief. Jesus spoke to the importance of community through church and worship, and you can learn a lot by getting more involved and active locally.
Read the Bible Regularly
One really nice thing about God’s word is that we have access to it through the Bible. By reading the Bible regularly and being sure to reflect on the readings, Father Adam Park speaks to how we can become closer to God as a result. It is important to remember that the Bible is written in a way where it is best enjoyed at a slower pace. Because of the nature of how it is written and interpreted as well as the diverse takeaways, the Bible is not meant to be read like any other book. By reading the Bible regularly, or even daily, you can improve your focus on God’s word, apply its teachings to your current life, and ensure that you are walking a righteous path every day. Do more than just read the Bible, become a perpetual student of it and its teachings! “The word of God is living and effective” (Hebrews 4:12).
Practice Prayer
Some worshippers treat prayer as something that is compulsive and done primarily to check off on their to-do list. In reality, prayer offers the beautiful opportunity to connect with God and more importantly, to hear Him speaking to you. Prayer can be used to seek guidance, wisdom, strength in times of need, and provides you with a means to navigate the ups and downs of life. Father Park mentions that there are many ways that we can practice regular prayer. Whether it be spoken words, silent meditation or reflecting on God’s word in Scripture, prayer helps you to focus, allowing you to renew your faith, and ultimately helping you grow closer to God.
Service to Others
Those who have read the Bible know that Jesus was no stranger to serving the community. He taught the Gospel, fed hungry crowds, washed his disciples’ feet, worked to heal the sick, and even raised the dead. Acting in service to others is one sure way of imitating Jesus in our lives. Some worshippers find their purpose giving back to others through volunteer work at places such as homeless shelters, nursing homes, soup kitchens, etc., while others may choose to show acts of kindness and remain helpful to those in their communities in their everyday lives. Whatever you choose, remaining selfless in all that you do can really strengthen your connection to God and God’s word.
Connect with Other Worshippers
According to Father Adam Park, catholic worship is often at its strongest when it is done in community. There are many reasons for this. Connecting with other worshippers through church, small groups, Bible study, or other ways to get together can provide a lot of different experiences of God and His word. There is so much to learn about God and so many takeaways from our faith, but many of us can be very rooted in our own specific interpretations. Getting closer to God means recognizing that God also works through other people, and it can be refreshing to learn about additional ways to worship, tools for dealing with grief and tragedy, ideas of how to witness our faith, and so much more. This connection also provides support, encouragement, and inspiration for others within the group, which can inspire to remain faithful to God.