Necessity of relationship

I think the Lord made us with the necessity for relationship with Him. The church likes to use the word relationship. However, relationship is truly what it is. It is only as we relate truly, openly, and honestly with Him and see Him for who He is that life begins to change. While we have God-in-a-box, He will show up in the manner that it seems that He is allowed to. Oh, but there is so much more to life in Christ. If one wants to have only formula Christianity of putting in time of the various Christian activities on the "to do" list in order to feel like a "good" Christian they can. Oh, but there is so much more. It is when one is truly still in His presence and just relates about life and encounters Him that one's view of God can begin to change. There is a great danger in reading the Bible from one's denominational lens. Instead of having the Holy Spirit reveal the Father and His glory and how He works to the reader they simply read the Word of God for how they have always read it and simply see how it agrees with all of their ideas about God. It is truly incredible what can happen when Bible reading does not become about putting in a certain amount of time, reading one's preconceptions of God into the page, reading and only trying to run around in the flesh trying to do what can only be done in the Spirit, etc. but becomes about truly encountering God and discovering who He is. As God becomes bigger through honest relating and encountering Him in Bible reading, the Holy Spirit seems to make the application so much easier. However, with no encounter, a small view of God, and brief time limits rather than just enjoying spending time with Him, application of what is in the Word is burdensome and impossible. It is only in time with Him that He reveals His heart to us, which in turn starts to change our hearts to be more like His.