From Knowing About Him to Knowing Him: Deepening Our Friendship with God

Sometimes, the hardest part of the work isn't the questions we have to answer for our investigators; it's the quiet moments when we realize how much we *think* we know about the Savior.

I was reflecting this week on a recent talk, and it brought to mind the profound struggle of Job. It’s a powerful reminder that even when we feel we’ve walked the path, when we feel seasoned in the temple covenants and the callings, we can still hit a low point where our understanding of the Atonement feels thin, or our relationship with the Divine feels more like academic knowledge than lived reality.

Job laments the loss of his nearness to God. He doesn't just mourn the loss of his fortune or his reputation; he mourns the loss of that unique, deep friendship with the Divine. He notes that knowing *about* God is vastly different from having that friendship dwell in your home with you. Doesn't that resonate?

This hits right at the heart of what it means to be an internet missionary, or even just a disciple at home. We are constantly being called to move past the intellectual understanding of the Plan of Salvation—the doctrines we’ve studied in book club or the concepts we’ve heard in missionary discussions—to the personal, intimate relationship that allows the Spirit to dwell within us.

It’s easy, especially when the field is busy and the callings pile up, to treat our relationship with God like a checklist. We check off scripture studies, we attend meetings, we read the recommended texts. But Job’s story shows us that the real measure of our discipleship is the depth of our trust, the quality of our friendship.

I remember a time when I felt I had a good grasp on the principles—I knew the doctrines, I had my testimony prepared. But when faced with unexpected hardship, my testimony felt brittle. It was like I was judging my own righteousness based on my current circumstances, rather than on the covenant I made. Job’s trials, though painful to watch, are ultimately a divine process designed to strip away the *pride* and the *entitlement* that can creep into even the most devoted hearts.

This is where the power of the Spirit comes in. God doesn't just *tell* us the truth; He *reveals* it to us, often in the most unexpected ways, just as He revealed Himself to Job after his deepest despair. He wants us to know Him not just as the benevolent Creator, but as the friend who knows our deepest vulnerabilities and still loves us.

Cultivating the Intimacy: A Skill for the Field

If there’s one mission prep skill I want to pass along today, it’s this: When you are studying scripture or preparing for a conversation, don't just focus on *what* the scripture says about God. Instead, pause and ask: "How does this passage describe God *to me*, personally? What does this teach me about the *feeling* of His nearness?"

This shift in focus—from doctrine to divine relationship—is what makes the gospel so compelling. It’s not just a set of rules; it’s an invitation to an ever-deepening friendship. It’s the joy of knowing that no matter what circumstances throw at us, the covenant relationship remains the anchor.

If you’re looking for ways to deepen that study, I highly recommend diving into the LivingBook and checking out the social scripture study feed for passages that speak to covenant keeping. Or, if you need help framing a difficult question for an investigator, don't forget to tap into Davee. He’s excellent at walking through those hard questions with the care of an AI Investigator.

What about you? Where have you seen God acting as a friend—not just a Judge, or a Provider, but a true companion—in your own life lately? Share it below. Let's keep lifting each other up as we strive to keep our friendship with Him richer and deeper every single day.