If someone asked me, “What is the primary way to have more peace in this turbulent time?” I would answer, “Know who God is in truth.”

We all “know” God but often what we think we know or believe about Him is incorrect. When we know the truth about Him, we experience more peace and joy. When we have misconceptions about Him, we find it harder to trust Him and experience peace and joy. Tlhat’s why I would answer that question saying, “Know who God is in truth.”

I remember when I first began to focus on studying God’s characteristics. I heard a guest speaker at our church talk about doing that and I’d never heard of that idea before. I bought his book and the “eyes of my heart” were opened to the new world of knowing God in truth and also diminishing the lies I believed about Him–and didn’t even know I had. It was transforming.

This is exactly what the Apostle Paul talked about in Philippians 3:10. The Amplified Bible expresses it powerfully this way.

“So that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely].

Aren’t you glad the Apostle Paul talks about this with the sense of increasing his “knowing” over a period of time? I am because it’s been a life-long journey for me. I began that journey at least four decades ago and I’ve continued to study God’s attributes–who He is. I’m so glad it’s a never-will-end invitation into learning more and more because God is unfathomable.

Let me whet your appetite for taking on this adventure. You won’t be disappointed.

Here are four steps for increasing your trust in God by studying who God is, His attributes, His nature.

Four Steps for Greater Peace Through Knowing God in Truth

1. Begin and continue adding to a list of God’s qualities as you become aware of them. Keep the list in a prominent place where you will see it frequently.
2. Categorize your list, either on the same sheet, or on another paper. Write the alphabet down the left side of your paper. Alphabetize God’s qualities by each appropriate letter. For instance, for “A”, write awesome, almighty, etc.
3. Use the alphabetized list as a means of praising God. For instance, on Monday, meditate on the “A” words describing God. On Tuesday, the “B” words. And continue on for a total of twenty-six days.
4. Find Scripture verses describing God’s qualities and write them on file cards. Distribute and tape those cards to various surfaces within your home or workplace.

Whenever you are feeling tense, angry, withdrawn, or any other response which is not the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23-24), ask yourself,

“What am I thinking or believing about who God is right now? Is this quality true about God or is my thinking based on a lie about him?”

Remember and rehearse the times God has shown you His true qualities. Praise and thank Him for those times. You could put a check mark on your list by any quality of God where His quality was evident.

In our book, God’s Intriguing Questions: 40 Old Testament Devotions Revealing God’s Nature, our primary goal is to examine how God points to His characteristics through the questions He asks.  In my next post, I’ll more specifically share the qualities God is revealing through His questions. It’s a fascinating discovery.

How about you? What attribute of God is most important to you to give you more peace in this turbulent time? Please share so that we all can be encouraged.