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Getting closer to God is a phrase I hear often. As believers, it is possible to feel like you aren’t as close to God as you were before.
James 4:8-10, NKJV, says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
This Bible verse tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. The catch here is that we can’t be walking in sin and be close to God. He wants us to have pure hearts, pure minds, and to be humble.
If you are feeling like you aren’t close to God right now, you’re not alone. I experience this feeling too. The good news is that the Bible tells us how to grow closer to God. Today, I’m going to share how you can get closer to God.
What Does it Mean to Draw Near to God?
Drawing near to God means that you want to be in a close relationship with God. Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). He is the only way you can draw near to God. God sent Jesus to be the mediator between God and man.
Choosing to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior means you are trusting Him with your life.We must have faith and know that we can get closer to God through Jesus.
Don’t miss Where to Find God in Your Life!
How to Draw Near to God
There are specific ways to get closer to God. I’ve felt like I’ve been far from God several times during my walk so I’m going to share what has helped me draw near to Him.
1. Receive Jesus
Receiving Jesus into your life is the first step to getting closer to the Lord. Without Jesus, there is no access to God. The Bible tells us that God sent His only son to make a way for us.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV
This verse means that in order to get to God, you need to go through Jesus.If you want to receive the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ, place your faith in Him (Acts 16:31), repent of your sins, and fully trust His death as the sacrifice for your sins. He promises to send His Holy Spirit to those that receive Him.
Works do not save you (Eph. 2:8-9). Baptism is an important step to identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. Baptism is not required for salvation. The only thing required for salvation is faith in Jesus Christ.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31 ESV
Once you have accepted Jesus, you will have access to growing closer to God. His Holy Spirit will guide you into God’s Truth and convict you of your sin. Repenting your sins will allow you to walk with Jesus and grow with Him.
2. Study the Bible
Studying the Bible is essential if you want to grow closer to God. It is impossible to know our creator if we don’t know anything about Him.
2 Timothy 3:16, ESV, says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
The Bible has everything we need to know to navigate through life. I recommend that you get a good study Bible so you can study the scripture. There areBible apps and freeonline Bible studies that can help further your knowledge. If you want to study a specific topic, you may benefit from a reading plan.
Make it a priority to study the Bible and you will draw closer to the Lord.
3. Pray
Prayer is how we communicate with God. Praying through Jesus will bring you into communication with God. You can pray all day long and ask as many questions as you want.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 NIV
Prayer doesn’t have to be done in any specific way. I try to reserve a specific time to pray in a quiet setting because I want to hear from God. If there’s too much going on I get easily distracted.
I also pray while I’m doing the dishes, folding laundry, making dinner, etc. There is no right way to pray. Don’t let anyone deceive you into thinking you need to pray a specific way.
God is omnipresent. He is with you all the time and is available anytime you call for Him. Include Him in your life and you will grow in a closer relationship.
4. Worship and Praise Him
We are given the privilege to praise and worship God. God is our maker and everything we have comes from Him. Acknowledging that having a relationship with Jesus is personal allows us to see how Mighty Our God is.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”Psalm 24:1, NKJV
We should be worshipping and praising God all the time. He is always good (Psalm 100:5) and worthy of our praise. One of my favorite ways to worship and praise Him is through music.
Music just really touches my soul and brings me deep into worship. I even find myself memorizing scripture when I’m listening to music.
Music will draw you near to God. He created music and loves to hear the joyful noise of it (Psalm 98:4-6).
5. Trust Him
When I decided to receive Jesus into my life, I had a hard time trusting Him. It wasn’t until I grew closer to God that I was able to rest in Him.
The Bible teaches that we need to trust the Lord with our whole hearts. If we truly believe that He loves us and will work everything for our good, we will be able to trust Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
You need to examine your heart and ask God to reveal the truth about who you are trusting. I did this and found that I was trusting myself.
Trusting in yourself or someone other than Jesus is a problem. The Lord is the only one who can make your paths straight. Your own flesh will make you stumble.
Learn to trust the Lord and know that you don’t need to understand everything. If you are close to God, you will trust that His understanding is enough. He works everything out for our good (Romans 8:28) and knows what’s best for us.
6. Have Faith
In order to have faith, we need to know who God says we are. The Bible tells us that we have a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11). He has plans for us and we need to have faith that His plans are the best thing for us.
If we don’t have faith we risk falling into fear. Choosing faith over fear takes daily discipline. We have to choose faith otherwise we will be headed down a dark empty road.
Having faith draws you near to God because you believe what He says. Choosing to make Him Lord over your life means you need to surrender your will to His will. In my life, He has proven over and over that His ways are better than mine. He always provides.
7. Get Involved
When I made the decision to receive Christ, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to get involved. I took the first step by attending a Bible study at my church.
I was so blessed by the ladies. It was my very first women’s Bible study by Beth Moore. My growth in Christ grew through the fellowship of other women.
There are so many ways to get involved other than in Bible study groups. There are multiple ways to bless people and show them the love of Christ.
I personally enjoy Bible study groups but I know they aren’t for everybody. Pray about how you can get involved. The Lord may put starting a Christian blog, Christian podcast, or even a Christian YouTube channel on your heart. These are all great ways to share what God has done in your life.
Getting involved will help you draw closer to God by being a living testimony of His faithfulness.
How are you Drawing Near to God?
These are 7 ways that have helped me get closer to God. I’d love to hear any other ways you have found to get closer to Him. Let me know in the comments below.