Building A Relationship with God | Knowing Of Him vs Truly Knowing Him

For many years, I called myself a 'Christian'. I saw myself as a follower of Christ and someone who had some kind of relationship with God. But if you have heard my testimony before, you will know that was not quite the case.

I did not grow up in a typical Christian household. Both of my parents were raised in church, but left when they were about 19 years old, so God wasn't really the focus of our lives. We never read the Bible or prayed together as a family, and I can count on both hands how many times I went to church growing up. My parents definitely believed in God, but it went no further than belief. The only Christian influence I had growing up came from my grandparents, who were all born-again Christians.

I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandmother growing up, and she would often speak to my sister and I about God. She shared her faith with us freely and spoke often about how much she loved Him. She even taught us Psalm 23 from a very young age.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters..." — Psalm 23:1-2

And so in my mind, that was enough. I knew of God because of my grandmother, and that was all I really needed. Or so I thought.

Over the last ten years, since becoming a born-again Christian, I have come to realise something that changed everything for me: knowing of God and actually knowing God are two completely different things, and as purpose-driven women, we must know the difference. 

Knowing of God can be described as having nothing more than head knowledge. When you know of God, you are aware of His existence. You have heard His name and you know the stories. You might even be able to recite a verse or two. Like me, you might have grown up hearing about God, singing about God, and even going to church and being around other people whose faith was real and genuine. And somewhere along the way, their relationship with God became your reference point for your own. You knew of Him because they knew Him. But knowing God, truly knowing Him, is something far deeper. 

Truly knowing God moves from head knowledge to heart knowledge. It is real, it is intimate, and most importantly, it is personal. It isn't just about hearing His name, knowing a few verses or attending church every Sunday. It's about having a deep, intimate and personal relationship with Him. One where you know Him and He knows you. It begins with a personal encounter with Him and is sustained by a daily pursuit of drawing near to Him. And this is the most important part — you will never move from knowing of God to truly knowing Him without this intentional pursuit.

Think about it this way. If someone introduced you to a stranger, you would know of that person from that point on. You know their name and a few details about them. But would you say you truly know them? Of course not. Knowing them requires time, conversation, and intentionality. It requires showing up consistently and allowing the relationship to deepen over time. And it is no different with God. 

Building a relationship with God isn't as complex as we often make it out to be. It's just like building a relationship with a family member, friend or colleague - it's about being intentional with the time we spend with Him The more time we spend with Him, the more we grow from knowing of Him to truly knowing who He is.

The way we build a relationship with God is going to be different for each and every one of us because it's unique and personal, but here are a few simple but powerful ways to begin: 

1) Spend time in His Word -

The Bible is not just a book. It is God's Word, and it is how He speaks to us. When you spend time in His Word, you are spending time with God. Listening to Him, fellowshipping with Him, and getting to know who He truly is. 

2) Talk to Him in prayer - 

Prayer doesn't have to be formal or structured, but in its simplest form it's simply a conversation with God. One where He 'speaks' and you listen, and vice versa. And just like any relationship, the more honest, open and consistent those conversations are, the stronger and deeper your relationship with Him will grow.

3) Worship 

Worship is more than singing songs on a Sunday morning. It is an act of the heart that shifts our focus from ourselves and our circumstances to who God truly is. When we worship, we are declaring His worth, His goodness, and His faithfulness — and in doing so, we draw closer to Him.

4) Be still before Him

In a world that never stops moving, stillness is a discipline. Being still before God is not about doing nothing, it is about creating intentional space to be in His presence without distraction. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes the most productive thing we can do for our relationship with God is to simply stop, be still, and allow Him to minister to our hearts.

None of these things are formulas. They are simply ways of drawing close to God. And when done consistently and sincerely, they will change everything.

Firstly, Jesus said in John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."

Our purpose, our calling, our ability to live a life that truly honours God, all of it flows from our connection to Him. You cannot live a purposeful life from a distance. Purpose is not something we figure out on our own and then ask God to bless. It is something that is revealed as we draw near to Him, spend time with Him, and allow Him to speak into our lives. If knowing God is the root, then living purposefully is the fruit. And you cannot have one without the other.

This is why, as daughters of God, we are not just called to know of Him. We are called to truly know Him. To build a real, personal, growing relationship with the God who already knows everything about us and loves us completely.

Secondly, Jesus said in John 10:27: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

The reality is, we cannot recognise the voice of someone we have never truly spent time with. If we only know of God through the stories we heard growing up, the sermons we have listened to, or the faith of someone else, we will struggle to recognise when He is speaking to us. We will miss His guidance, His comfort, and His direction. Not because He is not speaking, but because we have not yet learned to recognise His voice.

We have to remember that Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. One that begins with a personal encounter with Him and is sustained by a daily pursuit of Him.

So to the woman who grew up surrounded by faith but has never had a personal encounter with God - today is your invitation to start. 

To the woman who once walked closely with God but has grown distant - He has not moved. He is still right there, and it is never too late to come back. 

To the woman who already walks with God but knows the relationship has grown routine - draw near again. Not out of obligation, but out of love. 🤍

Wherever you are today, God is not looking for perfection. He is simply looking for a heart that is willing to draw near. And the moment you take that step, you will find, just as James 4:8 promises, that He will draw near to you.

"Come near to God and He will come near to you." — James 4:8