The psalmist's intense longing for God serves as a model for all believers. If you genuinely love God, you will find a way - appropriate to your individual love language - to connect with Him. As one-half of a couple, you might also use your spouse's love language.
For example, if your (or your spouse's) primary love language is quality time, you'll find a way to have quality conversations with God that fits your lifestyle. Variety in time, place, and method may enhance your experience. If you're an indoor person, try having quality time with God outdoors, even in challenging weather. Talking to God in the rain can be a rewarding experience if you acknowledge that He is the God who sends the rain.
If your schedule is filled, then skipping lunch and using the time to be alone with God may be more filling than the best steak you've ever tasted. Finding a time and a place may be difficult in our fast-paced world, but the heart that longs for God will make time for Him.
Remember the psalmist's words: "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?" (Psalm 42:1-2).
Take some time to pray individually or as a couple. As you talk to the Lord...
Thank Him for the privilege of coming to Him in prayer.
Ask Him to help you encourage each other to use your individual love language to connect with Him.
Ask Him to bless your efforts to have a deeper relationship with Him.
If you have more time, discuss together or reflect on these questions:
When was the last time you longed for God in the way the psalmist described?
How can you use your primary love language to connect with God?
How can your spouse use his or her primary love language to connect with God?
Consider these passages for further study on quality time with God:
Exodus 15:2 “The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Matthew 6:31-33 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Luke11:11-13 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Psalm 42:1-11 For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Great thoughts from Gary Chapman. They show a priority: we should be aware of the quality time we spend with the Lord.