First, let’s look at worshiping God through prayer. Start by thanking him for being part of your life and for being interested in the details of your life.

Pray like Habakkuk: “O Lord, now I have heard your report, and I worship you in awe” (Habakkuk 3:2 TLB). When God gives you a vision or a dream, or shows you what he wants you to do, thank him for answering your prayer. That’s part of worshiping God.

Second, develop a friendship with him and get to know him. Prayer isn’t a monologue; it’s a dialogue. It’s a conversation with God. God hears you when you pray; he answers you when you ask questions. He wants to talk with you every day. And when you faithfully talk with God throughout the day, it will revolutionize your life.

There are three levels of knowing God: recognition, acquaintance, and friendship.

At the recognition level, you know God is there, but you don’t really know him personally. At the acquaintance level, you know God a little, but you don’t know him very well.

God wants you to live at the friendship level, where you are familiar with each other and talk regularly. God wants to have a continuous conversation with you.

You can start developing a friendship with God by praying something like this: “Dear God, I’m amazed that you would want me for a friend. I really want to learn how to have conversations with you. Help me spend time with you every day. Thank you for caring about every detail of my life. Jesus, I want to know you more and more every day, and I want to depend on you for guidance in my job, my family, my future, and in every other area of my life. In your name I pray. Amen.”

As you spend time in prayer, worshiping God and developing a friendship with him, you’ll learn how to hear and recognize his voice.