How to Truly Connect With God: Understanding Who You're Praying To

Every person, in one way or another, has a relationship with God. Some pray to Him several times a day, while others simply cry out, “Oh, God!” when something unusual happens. Regardless, everyone — deep down or even subconsciously, is praying in some way.

If we want our conversation with God to be more personal and sincere, we need to understand Who we are speaking to and what His characteristics are, even though we cannot truly comprehend Him. When we pray, there are a few essential things we must keep in mind:

1. God truly exists.

He is not a product of imagination. He has always existed and will always exist — even if everything else disappears. The ultimate proof is… us. If we exist, then He exists — not the other way around.

You must know, with certainty, that in every prayer or conversation with Him, your words do not vanish into thin air. He is listening and paying attention to every word — just like in a conversation with another human being.

2. God is One and Sovereign.

He rules the world, and everything is subject to His will. Presidents, CEOs, or heads of terrorist organizations cannot act freely as they are all under God’s control. Even though it may appear otherwise, it is not they who truly direct the world or determine our fate.

If a child is being bullied at school, he should report it to the teacher, who is the classroom authority. If the teacher doesn’t act as expected, he’ll speak to the principal. God is the supreme authority and all our problems are in His hands. There is no higher authority and everything depends solely on Him.

3. God is perfect.

To be perfect means to lack nothing. God needs nothing. He is complete. And our deepest desire is to emulate Him.

When we pray, we can therefore trust that the answer will be perfect. If our request isn’t granted, it means that this is better, because the answer came from perfect wisdom.

4. God is unlimited.

In every way and in all attributes. He is not bound by space or time. He always was and always will be.

He has no physical form because He is entirely spiritual. If He had a body, He couldn’t be infinite. Anything material, no matter how exalted, is ultimately limited.

5. Avoid imagining God as an old man in the sky.

Often, when we think of God, we’re tempted to imagine a kindly elderly figure with a long white beard, seated on a majestic throne. This image doesn’t come from the Torah, but is a distortion influenced by Western thinking. Indeed, it’s easier to talk to a visualized figure, but we must remember that God has no body as He is entirely spiritual.

If you find it difficult during prayer to grasp what a non-physical being is, try exploring that concept within yourself. Think about your thoughts: you know they exist, but you can’t see, touch, hear, or smell them. The term spiritual describes anything beyond the reach of our five senses, yet whose existence we are sure of. In fact, you yourself are a spiritual being, but unlike God, you also have a physical body along with your soul.

We can never truly understand the essence of God but we can grasp His attributes. He is one-of-a-kind, generous, faithful, merciful, and more. In prayer, we direct ourselves toward a Being with these attributes, even if His essence remains beyond our comprehension.

In God, there are no divisions. He, His traits, and His knowledge are all part of the same unified Being.

Why do people doubt the truth of God’s existence?

Unlike the time of the Giving of the Torah, today God does not openly reveal Himself to people and we are expected to seek Him out. For this reason, many people today doubt His existence or choose not to believe.

God hides Himself because He wants us to be worthy of discovering the truth. Many people want everything handed to them, but something earned through effort is far more fulfilling. Just like parents may have the means to support their children forever, but teach them to work because what’s earned with effort is more meaningful — the same is true with knowing God and connecting to Him.

God “hides” so that we will need to struggle to find Him, and through that struggle, we become deserving. Further, when God is hidden, He preserves our free will. If He were fully revealed, we would no longer have a choice and we would follow His commands like pre-programmed robots. However, God desires that we choose good through our own free will.

Despite the difficulty, we can find God through His creations. The more intricate the creation, the more clearly we see His divine hand.

As the Book of Job (19:26) teaches: “From my flesh I shall behold God.” The best way to find God, is by looking within ourselves.