May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 104:34).

Some of the ways you know that your relationship with God is deepening is when you begin to:

- care what God thinks and says (John 5:19*)

- see yourself through the lens of God’s love (Psalm 139:14)

- believe God is with you, even when you don’t hear his voice or sense his presence (Psalm 121)

- appreciate that you don’t have to have your act together before you spend time with God (Psalm 139:1–12)

- realize that God’s love and approval means more to you than it once did (Galatians 1:10)

- acknowledge the significance of Jesus to your sense of well-being and purpose (Matthew 11:5)

- rejoice in being a work in progress (James 4:10)

- let your hair down and have fun with God and others. Even God knows how to have fun (Psalm 16:11)

- value that God is not a formula (Isaiah 55:8).

Some of the ways you know that your relationship with God is deepening is when you can:

- rejoice in God, even when the desires of your heart are not met (Philippians 4:4–9)

- see beauty in the midst of desolation (Isaiah 61:3)

- embrace “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7)

- learn something new about God (Lamentations 3:22-23)

- argue with God, knowing that he won’t turn his back on you (Job 13:3)

- cry on his shoulder and experience his comfort (Psalm 18:6)

- abide in God knowing he will abide in you through Jesus (John 15:5)

- forgive those who have hurt you (Matthew 6:14–15)

- experience the fullness of joy in God (Matthew 6:16:11)

- say you are in need of God’s forgiveness (Luke 11:4)

- bring your doubts, fears, and worries to God and he won’t turn you away (Matthew 6:25–34)

- say that you know Jesus loves you (1 John 4:19).

*All Scripture cited from the New Revised Standard Bible.