Using Your Learning Style to Feel Close to God

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” As Tirzah reads these words from Psalm 22 (Mark 15:34) , tears slowly slide down her cheeks. She too feels a distance between her and God. She is confused as to why there is this silence, this lack of connection. Tirzah’s friends offer varying advice.

“There must be sin in your life. Confess it and you’ll feel joy again.’

“You need to regularly practice the spiritual disciplines. This will whip you into emotional/spiritual shape.”

“Your life is too full. Cut back on your activities and commitments. Spend more time with God. You’ll soon feel His touch in your life.”

“Practice gratitude. God has blessed you. Concentrate more on the good things in your life than on the bad. Then you’ll sense God’s closeness.”

At other times in Tirzah’s life, these ideas might have fit. But not today; none of these point to the root of her distress. Instead it’s not about what to do but about knowing herself. Tirzah has a unique learning style, love language, gift mix, personality, etc. about which she knows nothing. A little knowledge, in this case, can be a good thong.

Tirzah, like each person, has a unique learning style: auditory, visual or kinesthetic. The adept teacher adapts material so that students are taught according to their learning style. This type of preparation helps the student to connect to the teacher and to the material. This helps the student to learn and to feel heard and valued.

But not all the work is not on the teacher though. Students can modify their environment according to their learning styles so that their learning and connection to the teacher and material are enhanced.

Likewise Tirzah and all Believers can also modify their environment according to their learning styles so that their connection to God is enhanced. But Tirzah didn’t know her learning style. So she went to this site to get the information. With this new knowledge and a few changes, Tirzah was able to once again connect with God.

Below are the four learning styles and some suggestions. You and Tirzah can use these ideas to connect more meaningfully with God.

Auditory

1. Ask people to pray for you out loud.

2. Talk to God out loud.

3. Listen to and sing praise songs and hymns. Listen to audio Scripture/sermons.

4. Recite Scripture.

5. Have a set time of silence after reading your Bible. Listen for God’s response.

Visual

1. Read: Christian literature, biographies, devotionals, the Bible. Browse the Christian bookstore for ideas on what to read. Or go to a secular bookstore and visit the religious section. At either place you will find many reads that will invite your eye in for a closer look.

2. Decorate with items that nurture your spiritual nature: cross, photos/pictures with Scripture, posters, mugs with scripture. The Christian bookstore has a wide selection of such things.

3. Write in your journal. Take notes of the sermon. Doodle while at a conference.

4. Get into nature whenever possible. Marvel in the God who made the stars, ocean, mountains, flowers.

5. Put Scripture memory verses on a card (business-size or index) and review them often.

Kinesthetic

1. Go to camp, conferences, or retreat. This is a time for worship, connecting with others including God and listening to talks that are relevant.

2. Create in response to a spiritual lesson at church or from own quiet time: color, knit, sculpt, scrapbook.

3. Give away something in response to God’s love: tithe, material objects, your skill/time/talents. Your church and community can use all of these.

4. Pray while walking, in the bath tub, or when baking.

5. Be physical during worship. Stand, raise your hands, clap, sway, kneel, shout “Amen.”

Your Turn

1. My learning style is visual. Know yours? If not go here and here to determine your learning style.

2. Have you ever thought of enhancing your relationship with God by honing in on your learning style? If yes, tell us about it.

3. Did you try any of these suggestions? How did it go?

4. Have anything to add?

Related Posts

• 10 Ways to Get Closer to God
• 14 Ways to Determine God’s Will
• How to Hear God’s Voice
• Rev Up Your Personal Bible Study
• Which Gift Do You Wish You Had?