14 Ways To Love God More This Year

The words “love God” sum up the entire Christian life. The goal of every Christian is to love God more every day. This is what it means to “abide” in Christ (John 15:9). To “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). It’s what Jesus said was the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37).

But how can we do this? How can we love God more every day? I’m so glad you asked. Here are 14 practical ways.

Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul

In the Bible we are commanded to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. This means loving God with every part of who we are. When the Bible says love God with “heart, mind, and soul” it is referring to every facet of our being. We are called to love God with all our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical strength.

In Matthew 22:37 it says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is a command from God for us to love Him with every part of who we are. It is not optional for Christians. It is the center of the Christian life. We are called to wholeheartedly love God.

When we love God with all our heart it means that He is the main focus of our lives. We set Him as our number one priority and everything else falls in line after that. We love Him supremely and above all else.

Why are we called to love God with everything we have? We love God because He is the greatest, most wonderful, most powerful, most glorious being in the universe. God is worthy of all our love and affection.

Also, the Bible teaches that we are to love God because God loves us first (1 John 4:19). He demonstrated His love for us by giving His one and only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. When we understand how much God loves us it should motivate us to want to love Him in return.

Grow In Loving God By Meditating On God’s Love

One way that you can love God more is by growing in your understanding of His love for you. The better you understand how much God loves you the more you will desire to love Him in return.

A great way to grow in your understanding of God’s love for you is to meditate on Bible verses about His love. Let these verses sink deep into your heart and mind. As you meditate on them allow the Holy Spirit to apply them to your life in a personal way.

Some of the best verses to meditate on when it comes to God’s love are:

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Love God serving Him joyfully

We also love God by serving Him joyfully. When we serve God it should not be out of obligation or duty. We should do it because we want to please Him and show Him our love.

In Mark 10:45 Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus was our perfect example of servanthood. He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. We should follow His example by serving God with a joyful attitude.

One way we can serve God is by using our talents and abilities to further His Kingdom. We can also serve God by helping others in need. When we serve others, we are actually serving God. As it says in Matthew 25:40, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

If we don’t serve the Lord with joy, then we are saying to the watching world that God is not a good master. We need to show them that God is a good master by the way we serve Him with joy.

Obey God’s commands willingly

When we love God we will want to obey Him willingly. We won’t have to be forced to obey Him because we will want to do what He commands.

In John 14:15 Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Obedience is an evidence of our love for God. When we obey Him, it shows that we trust Him and believe that He knows what is best for us.

It matters that we obey God with a willing heart. It’s not enough to just go through the motions of obeying Him. We need to have a desire to please Him. When we obey God out of love, it shows that we respect Him and consider Him our authority.

If you’re struggling to love God by obeying Him willingly, tell that to Him and ask Him to change your heart. Say to Him, “God, I want to love You more than anything else. Help me to obey You willingly.”

God will not turn away from that prayer. He will help you to love Him more than anything else in your life.

Love the Lord by worshiping Him passionately

Worship isn’t limited to singing songs on Sunday mornings, although that is certainly part of it. Our entire lives are meant to be worship to God.

In Romans 12:1 it says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” When we present our bodies as living sacrifices it means that we are willing to do anything and everything for God. We are completely surrendered to Him.

Our lives should be a worship service to God. We should live in such a way that everyone we come in contact with can see that we love the Lord with all our heart.

When we love God passionately, it will show in the way we live our lives. We will want to please Him in everything we do. We will live to worship Him and make Him known to others.

Meditate on the Bible daily

Another way to love God is to meditate on the Bible daily. The Bible is God’s word to us and reveals who He is and what He desires for us. We need to saturate our minds with the Word of God so that we can think about it all the time.

In Joshua 1:8 it says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

In Psalm 1:2 it says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” When we love God, we will want to think about His word all the time. It will be our delight.

When we meditate on the Bible, it helps us to understand God’s will for our lives. It also helps us to obey Him more easily. When we love God, we will want to spend time in His Word so that we can grow closer to Him.

If you’re not in the habit of meditating on the Bible, start small. Choose one verse each day and think about it throughout the day. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you new things from the verses you’re reading. As you do, you will begin to love God more and more.

Pray to God continually

Another way to grow in our love for God is to pray to Him continually. When we love someone, we want to talk to them all the time. It’s the same with God. When we love Him, we will want to pray to Him all the time.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 it says, “Pray without ceasing.” This doesn’t mean that we need to be on our knees 24/7. But it does mean that we should have a continual conversation with God throughout the day. Our hearts should be open to God so that we can have an ongoing conversation with Him at any moment.

Prayer is simply talking to God. It’s sharing our hearts with Him and listening to what He has to say to us. When we love God, we will want to talk to Him all the time. We will want to know His heart and mind on everything in our lives.

If you’re not in the habit of praying continually, start by setting aside a specific time each day to pray. Then, as you go throughout your day, be open to the Lord Jesus so that you can have a conversation with Him at any moment.

Love God by fellowshipping with other believers regularly

In Hebrews 10:24-25 it says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

One of the best ways to grow loving God is to fellowship with other believers regularly. When we meet together with other believers, we are encouraged to love and good works. We also get to hear what God is doing in the lives of others and we can rejoice with them.

When we love God, we will want to be around other people who love Him too. We will want to fellowship with them and encourage one another in our faith.

If you don’t have any Christians to spend time with, start by attending a Bible study or small group at your church. Then, make it a point to get together with other believers outside of church. You can go for coffee, lunch, or even just take a walk together. As you do, you will begin to love Jesus Christ more and more.

Love Jesus by giving generously

Another way to love Jesus Christ is by giving generously. When we give, it shows that we trust God to provide for us. It also shows that we are willing to put His purposes ahead of our own.

In Matthew 6:21 it says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What we put our money into is what we value most. When we love Jesus, we will want to give generously to His work. We will want to invest in things that will last for eternity.

Giving generously certainly includes our finances, but it includes more than that. It also includes our time, our talents, and our resources. When we love Jesus, we will want to give Him our best in everything we do.

What ways can you give generously to God? Maybe you can give financially to a missions organization or to your church. Maybe you can give your time to serve in a children’s ministry or at a local soup kitchen. Whatever it is, be creative and think of ways that you can give generously to God.

Grow in loving God by sharing the gospel with others

We can also grow in loving God by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ regularly. The gospel is the good news that Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that He rose again from the dead. It is the message of hope and salvation that we have in Christ.

In Romans 10:14 it says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

People need to hear the gospel in order to believe in the Lord Jesus and have eternal life. When we experience God’s love, we will want to share His good news with others whenever possible. We will want them to know about the hope and salvation that is available through faith in Christ.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is the heart of the gospel. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins. And when we believe in the Lord Jesus, we can have eternal life.

This is the message of hope that we have to share with others. And as we do, we will grow in our love for our heavenly Father.

Love the Lord Jesus by living a holy life

Another way to grow in loving God is by living a holy life. When we live holy lives, it shows that we are committed to following Him. It also shows that we want to please God in everything we do and that the Holy Spirit has changed us.

In 1 Peter 1:15-16 it says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'”

God calls us to be holy because He is holy. And as we grow in God’s grace, we will want to live lives that are pleasing to Him. We will want to obey His commands and follow His example in our own lives.

One way to live a holy life is by reading the Holy Bible regularly and spending time in prayer. As we do, we will learn more about God’s character and His ways. We will also be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Another way to live a holy life is by fleeing from sexual immorality. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”

When we flee from sexual immorality, we are choosing to live in a way that is pleasing to God. We’re living in the way God created us to live.

Grow in loving God by standing against temptation

We can also grow in loving God by standing against temptation. When we are tempted to sin, we need to resist the temptation and flee from it.

In James 4:7 it says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

When we stand firm against temptation, we are choosing to love God rather than to sin against Him. We are also showing that we are committed to living for Him.

Whenever you are tempted to sin, remember that God is faithful and He will help you to overcome the temptation. Just ask Him for help and He will give you the strength you need to resist.

Persevere through trials and adversity

We can grow in our love for God is by persevering through trials and adversity. When we face difficulties and challenges in life, it can be difficult to keep going. But if we persevere, it will show that we are committed to following the Lord no matter what.

In James 1:12 it says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

When we persevere through trials, it shows that we are trusting in God and His plan for our lives. It also shows that we are committed to loving Him no matter what.

No matter what challenges you are facing in life, know that God is with you and He will help you to overcome them. Just keep your eyes on Him and His promises, and persevere through whatever comes your way.

Die to self daily and live for Christ alone

A large part of the Christian life involves dying to yourself and choosing to live for Jesus alone. This means saying “no” to your flesh and following the Spirit instead. It means putting God first in everything you do.

In Luke 9:23 it says, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'”

When we deny ourselves, we are choosing to put God first. We are also choosing to live for Him instead of for ourselves.

This doesn’t mean that we never do anything for ourselves. But it does mean that everything we do should be done for the glory of God. We should always be looking to please Him in everything we do.

If you want to grow in your love for God, start by dying to yourself daily and living for Him alone. Put Him first in everything you do and seek to please Him in all that you do.

As you do, you will find that your love for God will grow more and more each day.

17 Bible verses about loving God

Ephesians 3:17-19 – “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

1 John 4:8 – “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

John 15:12 – “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Romans 5:5 – “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

1 Corinthians 13:13 – “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Matthew 22:37-40 – “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”

John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commands.”

Deuteronomy 11:1 – “Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.”

Matthew 5:44-45 – “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Colossians 3:14 – “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Ephesians 4:2-3 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

1 John 4:7-8 – “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Romans 12:9-10 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Do everything in love.”

John 15:12-13 – “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”