7 Ways To Grow Closer To God
This blog post explores how to draw closer to God. He desires a genuine, personal relationship with us and we can cultivate spiritual intimacy by developing daily rhythms. Through time in the Word, prayer, worship, obedience, community, stillness, and reflection, we can experience peace, security, healing, & joy as we walk closely with the One who made us and loves us deeply.
Why We Long to Be Close to God
Have you ever heard the saying that we have a “God-shaped hole” in our heart? It was a sentiment regarding the human spiritual condition first expressed by the 17th Century philosopher Blaise Pascal (also a brilliant mathematician and physicist who laid the groundwork for probability theory).
But the truth of this yearning was also echoed two millennia before him by King Solomon, who noted of God: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecc 3:11, NIV).
When we realize that God longs to be close to us and walk intimately with us as a loving Father, we begin to know him and his character better. When we see how faithful, present, kind, and powerful he is, we begin to crave relationship with him.
Then we can experience the kind of peace, joy, and identity that can only be found in him. Closeness with God brings purpose, security, and healing to our souls.
Designed with a knowledge of him
We are designed with knowledge of God, as Solomon pointed out. This is often experienced when we are in nature or ponder creation.
One of the core reasons for God’s existence is the teleological argument, which is based on the evidence of order and design in nature. However, it is our choice to credit God with creation and whether to pursue relationship with him.
For those who have chosen to not follow him, Paul wrote: “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (Rom 1:19-20, NLT).
Only God satisfies the soul
We desire to be close to God because we have a deep, innate longing that only he can fulfill (a la Pascal). The psalmist wrote:
“O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy” (Ps 63:1-5, NLT).
In his presence we find peace, security, and joy
Our relationship with God leads to a deeper experience of life. It comes with joy, peace, and security that only he can provide.
We can hold to the promise God gave Joshua and the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land – he will never leave us or forsake us (see Deut 31:6; Jos 1:5), assuming we don’t leave him first.
While God never promises a pain-free existence this side of heaven, still he provides strength, guidance, and comfort to sustain us through all of life. The psalmist wrote:
“But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life” (Ps 42:8, NLT).
7 Ways to Grow in Relationship with God
Deep relationship with God grows through simple, intentional rhythms: time in His Word, prayer, worship, obedience, community, stillness, and reflection. These are not religious checkboxes, but lifelines to draw near and stay rooted.
Here are 7 ways to draw closer to God, along with examples of each in Scripture and ideas for practical application in your life:
1. Spend time in God’s Word
The psalmist acknowledged: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Ps 119:105, NLT).
Example: Jesus quoted Scripture when he was being tempted in the desert (see Mt 4), demonstrating the power of reliance on God’s word.
Application strategies:
– Read, meditate, and study the Bible to know God’s character, promises, and will.
– Follow a Bible reading plan, an app, or social media platform that offers a verse or passage of the daily.
– Try a Scripture writing plan, which allows for slowed reflection, enhances understanding, and aids in memorization.
2. Talk with God, not just to him in prayer
Paul encouraged the believers in Thessalonica: “Never stop praying” (1 Thess 5:17, NLT).
Example: Daniel, despite the king’s direct order, prayed three times a day to God. Also, Jesus frequently withdrew to a quiet place to pray to the Father.
Application strategies:
– Try talking to God in an honest, conversational manner. Sometimes people say that it helps to visualize Jesus sitting across from them.
– To avoid a transactional type of relationship (where you shoot up prayers to God for what you want – or what you don’t want), try starting prayer with praise and thanksgiving for Who he is and What he has done, in your life or in the span of history.
– One prayer model carries the acronym ACTS – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. A similar one is PRAY – praise, repent, ask, and yield (by listening and obeying).
– Try journaling as a reflection and written dialogue with God.
He’ll meet you wherever you are; just remember to listen and not just talk!
3. Engage in worship and gratitude
Paul implored believers: “…give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:1-2, NLT).
Example: David worshiped the Lord with music and dancing, even when he was despised for it by his own wife (see 2 Sam 6:16).
Application strategies:
– Give God thanks in your heart or out loud, and gratitude will open your spirit to his nearness.
– Actively put your trust in God and submit to him, watching for how he works in your life (see Prov 3:5-6).
– Play praise and worship music in the car or while doing chores and make a joyful noise to the Lord. It glorifies him, brings him joy, and lifts the spirit.
– Keep a gratitude journal and write down each day at least one thing that you are thankful for.
4. Obey his word
Jesus told his followers: “’If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth…Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them’” (Jn 14:15-17a, 21, NIV).
Example: By faith, Abraham obeyed God’s command to leave his people and go to a land unfamiliar to him (see Gen 12:1-4).
Application strategies:
– Practice obedience with what God has revealed in Scripture.
– Start small with where he is leading you to focus and work on being more consistent. This will grow your trust, resilience, and integrity.
5. Walk in community with other believers
The writer of Hebrews advised: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:23-25, NIV).
Example: The early church met regularly, shared resources, and grew as one body together in faith and service to the Lord (see Acts 2:42-47).
Application strategies:
– Find a Bible-based church where you can learn more deeply about God and you can also be an encouragement to other believers.
– If already in a church, consider serving in some capacity.
– Join a small group or Bible study locally or online with other believers.
– Seek pastoral counseling or mentorship for particular questions or struggles.
6. Make space for God daily
Jesus advised: “’Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me’” (Jn 15:4, NLT). We cannot be close to God, much less bear fruit from his life-giving connection, if we don’t make time for him.
Example: Mary of Bethany sat at the feet of Jesus, choosing presence over busyness (see Lk 10:38-42).
Application strategies:
– Meditate and reflect on who God is, how he has shown up in your life.
– Take a few moments to list God’s character traits, attributes, nature, or promises.
– Journaling is a great way to make space for God each day, to be mindful of his presence in your life.
7. Reflect and remember
The psalmist wrote: “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps 103:2-5, NIV).
Example: The Lord directed Israel to build memorials (such as stones at the Jordan when they crossed over to the Promised Land) to commemorate his faithfulness (see Jos 4).
Application strategies:
– Keep a journal of Scripture insights, encounters with God, examples of his faithfulness or presence in your life.
– Document your prayers and when they are answered (sometimes how they get answered bring the biggest surprises!).
Finding a Daily Rhythm to Grow Closer to God
A heart rooted in God becomes one that is hungry for him, one focused on longing and not striving. Practicing spiritual disciplines is no longer a checkbox but a lifeline to the God our soul longs for. These activities also protect us from barriers that can prevent us from being closer to him.
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness” (Col 2:6-7, NLT).
What’s one step that you can take this week to pursue deeper relationship with God? The Lord is ready, willing, and eager to be with you.
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
Scripture quotations marked WEB are taken from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE, WEB, public domain.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
