You know when you’re talking with someone and feeling especially connected? Conversation is flowing, you’re exchanging ideas and telling stories, and afterward, you just feel filled.
What if we looked at prayer and scripture study as opportunities to have this kind of interaction with God?
Instead of viewing our gospel habits as chores, we can find more soul-fulfilling joy and spiritual nourishment by regularly asking ourselves this question:
“How can I connect with Heavenly Father and the Savior today?”
Here are some ideas for how to find more divine connection in your daily life.
Praying on the Go
It’s good to have intentional kneeling prayers, but we shouldn’t let this goal limit when we connect with our Heavenly Father. We can pray to Him anywhere, anytime, and He will always hear us.
For example, my daily commute has become one of my favorite times to talk with Heavenly Father. When I turn off my music and intentionally ponder, I receive inspired thoughts and can sense a peaceful connection with Him.
Even getting ready in the morning provides quiet moments to steer my thoughts to God, ask questions, and seek guidance for my day.
No matter your schedule, look for simple moments where you can intentionally check in with God through prayer. “He is always ready to be found,” Sister Kristin M. Yee has taught. “Invest in that relationship. … There is no greater pursuit and nothing more fulfilling or meaningful than to ‘know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’”
Journaling as Prayer
Like prayer, journaling can help us recognize and acknowledge God’s presence in our lives. More than a rote ritual of record-keeping, this practice can be a way to nourish our souls and connect with our Creator.
Writing in my journal helps me to slow down and express what’s in my mind and heart. By doing this regularly and rereading past entries, it’s become clear how the Spirit speaks to me and what lessons Heavenly Father wants me to learn.
Elder Neil L. Andersen counsels:
“Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. … I promise you that as you willingly acknowledge and carefully treasure the spiritually defining events in your life, more and more will come to you.”
As we intentionally record our deepest thoughts and feelings, it becomes easier to see that Heavenly Father is constantly communicating with us. His voice is subtle but powerful, and when we open ourselves to His messages, we will hear them.
Feasting upon the Word
Reading the scriptures can feel incredibly rewarding and restorative, even (and especially) when it isn’t always easy.
About scripture study, President Mark Pace says, “We call it ‘study,’ and that’s good because it implies effort.” But can effort be enjoyable?
A helpful answer to this question is found in scriptural analogy: Nephi tells us to “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3, emphasis added). Feasting is not a passive term. To feast takes energy and sustained focus.
But it also implies that the food is amazing. As Alma says, “Yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me” (Alma 32:28).
We can choose to approach scripture study as if we’re accepting an invitation to the most incredible feast hosted by our Heavenly Father. But instead of food, we are partaking of priceless wisdom, power, and knowledge. We are, so to speak, spending time at God’s table—the only source that can truly satisfy and fill our souls.
This is sustenance we not only crave but need to thrive in today’s world. And just as we prep ingredients and plan meals, we can schedule times to feast spiritually. Whether you listen to conference talks while driving, read verses on your phone, or follow a scripture study guide, look for ways to spiritually feast every day.
Your spiritual nourishment is worth the effort.
Checklists Aren’t Enough
Finally, when gospel habits start to feel like a chore, we can follow Sister Yee’s reminder:
“When we feel His love and reciprocate that love by choosing Him each day, the gospel becomes less about checkboxes and more about love and desire. This allows real gospel roots to grow in each of us, bringing us lasting nourishment and joy. This ‘covenantal love’ helps us to endure when duty or checklists just aren’t enough.”
So, when praying and learning the gospel feel like dull tasks on an overwhelming to-do list, stop for a moment and ask yourself, “How can I connect with Heavenly Father and the Savior today?”
The answer may vary depending on the day, but it will inevitably lead you back to what matters most—a personal and intentional relationship with your Father in Heaven and Elder Brother.
And I think we can all agree: Building a relationship is more than items on a checklist.
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