How Do We Draw Near To God?

Do you want a more intimate connection with God but feel like you’ve hit a wall in your attempts to find Him? Social media, sports, and regular life all present tempting diversions. While they are all commendable pursuits, what ultimately matters is a heartfelt commitment to finding and spending time with the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s normal to feel distant from God every once in a while. The gospel reveals how to develop a stronger relationship with God. To the extent that we approach God, He may make his promises a reality in our lives. Our lives will gradually experience God’s glory, peace, energy, hope, joy, and love.

What Does It Mean To Draw Near To God?

Aspiring to draw near to God implies that you desire a close relationship with God. Jesus is the exclusive means of accessing the Father (John 14:6). He is the only way to get close to God. Jesus was sent as the mediator between God and humankind by God.

Accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior entails placing your confidence in Him. We must have trust and realize that through Jesus, we may become closer to God.

How To Draw Near To God?

“Therefore, brothers, since we have the confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” —Hebrews 10:19–22

The overarching goal of the Apostle Paul[1] in penning these lines is for us to experience what the old Puritans called communion with God—that is, to draw near to God, to have fellowship with Him, and to refuse to live a Christian life apart from Him.

This drawing near isn’t a physical one. It’s not like trying to scale Mount Vesuvius with your accomplishments alone. This may or may not be en route to a church or making your way to a front-and-center altar. It’s a gesture performed entirely from the heart but cannot be seen. It’s possible to achieve it while sitting in a church pew, resting in a hospital bed, or standing perfectly motionless.

To draw near to God doesn’t mean physically moving closer. It’s a way of leading one’s heart into God’s presence, which is both infinitely far away in the heavenly holy of holies and incredibly accessible through the threshold of faith. He’s ordering us to show up, to talk to Him, and get closer to Him.

10 Powerful Ways To Draw Near To God

We can get close to God when we repent of our sins, open our hearts, and actively seek Him. That’s a straightforward message, yet the question remains… Just how do we go about doing this? Here are 10 ways to draw near to God:

1. Trust In Christ Jesus As Your Mediator.

1 Timothy 2:5–7 says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

It was because of our sins that we were unable to approach God. But God showed mercy and reached down to us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer on the cross for our sins. Those who believe in Christ have a clean conscience and can grow spiritually close to God.

2. Access God Anywhere.

Hebrews 10:19 and 22 say, “Therefore, brothers, since we have the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Only on the Day of Atonement was the High Priest permitted to enter the Holy Place in the Old Testament temple. Sacred because it was the physical location of God’s most prominent presence on Earth. Having been redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice, we can approach God and experience His presence wherever we go, not just in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

3. Be Intentional In Taking Time To Seek God.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

God is always with us, but it is only when we seek Him that we become aware of His nearness. Among the most fruitful ways to pursue God and connect with God is via reading God’s Word. There are several Bible applications to choose from if you don’t have access to an accurate Bible.

You can join a Bible study group or get together with friends to chat about God, sing praises to Him, study the gospel, or do any other spiritual activity.

4. Confess Your Sins.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Even though a person claims to be a Christian, they might still struggle with sin and pursue their path. The good news is that when we admit our sin to God and ask for forgiveness, He draws near and places us at His right hand. For mercy and forgiveness, we convene with our Heavenly Father.

5. Read The Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

The Holy Spirit moved mortal authors to pen every word in the Bible. Yet, God is ultimately responsible for its content. That indicates that every single verse in the Bible is inspired by God. God provided us with the Bible; by reading it and spending quiet time with Him, we may grow closer to Him.

6. Pray With A Sincere Heart.

James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”

We can pray to God for help when we are going through a challenging period, such as when we are in pain. In times of success, singing praises to God is a beautiful way to express gratitude and praise. Praying is a means by which we can draw near to God.

7. Love God And His People.

Mark 12:30-31 says, ” ‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Intentional acts of love for God and others draw near to God. The more we choose to love God and others, the deeper our connection with God becomes. By loving God and others, we better understand who God is, not because doing good actions makes God love us more.

8. Allow The Holy Spirit To Help You.

John 14:16–17 says, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

Jesus’ words now identify the Holy Spirit as God’s Helper. In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit made physical dwellings among his people; in the New Testament, however, Christians have the Holy Spirit within them. While Jesus was confined to one location on Earth at any moment, the Holy Spirit was not. Through the power of the Spirit, everyone can grow closer to God.

9. Spend Time With Fellow Christians.

Acts 2:42 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.”

This biblical passage gives us a glimpse into the proceedings of the first Christian assemblies. In the presence of the Lord, they met together to hear the Word preached (the teaching of the apostles), share in the Lord’s Supper (the Holy Communion), and praise Him through corporate prayer. To draw near to God, they engaged in all of these pursuits.

10. Seeking The One True God.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” —Psalm 145:15

Calling upon the genuine God is the way to draw near to God. We are not free to create our conception of God and actively pursue it. Knowing the one true God can be gained by regularly reading the Bible.

The Importance Of Drawing Nearer To God And Experience His Promise

Does God bless us with fulfilling His promises when we draw near to Him? There are many instances in the Bible where He shows it.

John Gills used the saints as an illustration throughout his Exposition of the Bible. When they bring their physical selves into God’s holy place, when they walk in his courts and participate in his sacraments, when they beg for grace and mercy at His throne of grace, and when they pray to God from the depths of their hearts, with hands raised in true worship, the Father draws near to them.

When people exercise faith and hope to approach God and claim Him as their covenant God and Father, He responds by drawing near to them in a variety of ways: by making Himself known to them, by imparting to them his love, by bestowing upon them the benefits of his grace, by coming to their aid in times of trouble, and by shielding them from their adversaries.

As the Father first loves, so He first moves; He takes the first step and, in conversion, turns and draws men to Himself; yet this does not regard the first conversion, after acts consequent to it; nor is it to be considered as a condition of the grace and favor of God, in drawing near to his people, but is expressive of what is their duty, and an encouragement to fulfill it.

A Prayer To Draw Near To God

Almighty God, I give thanks for the privilege of drawing near to You. Lord, I am grateful that You made it possible for me to have a relationship with Your Son, Jesus, by serving as our Great High Priest. Lord, I recognize that my sins exclude me from receiving this favor, but thank you that You have provided a means for me to receive it via the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

This is a beautiful blessing; I thank you, God. Even if my sin is substantial, Your grace and mercy are much more significant. You sent Jesus because You knew I was too far from You to pray to God directly.

There was a time, Father God, when the Temple or synagogue was the only place where people could come to You for spiritual guidance. We praise You, Lord, that You are available to us at all times and in all areas. Even if I cannot perceive You now, You are yet here with me. It doesn’t matter where I am—at home, market, or church—I may pray to You. Lord God, I thank You that You have heard my plea this day as I sit here in this same room with You.

Almighty Redeemer, the only way I can become closer to You is if I admit to You whatever sin is lurking in my heart. Not because I think it would make You love me anymore, but because Your love for me is so enormous that I can’t help but confess my fault to You. The love You have for me, Father, compels me to come clean. I ask You, Father, to reveal whatever darkness lurks in my soul. Nothing should prevent me from growing closer to You.

Please assist me, Adonai, Yahweh, and Jehovah Rapha, since I sometimes find it challenging to read your Word. I know, Lord, that these are Your words to me. Give me a greater hunger to read the Scriptures You gave me, Lord. As I read Your Word, may I have eyes to see it and ears to hear it? Most significantly, Lord, I ask that You open my eyes to Your grace and mercy shown to me in Jesus. My understanding of Your kindness and mercy, O God, has brought me closer to You.

Lord God, please accept my gratitude for the Holy Spirit. Without God’s Spirit dwelling inside me, I would be utterly blind to how I can draw near You. Although Jesus’ bodily presence on Earth was confined to a single location at a given moment, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every Christian is not. Thanks be to You, my Savoir, for the fact that this Spirit causes me to get nearer to You even when I don’t feel like it.

Help me, Father God, to choose to love others as Jesus did. Please strengthen my love for You as I deepen my love for everyone around me. Help my spirit reflect Your likeness as I build relationships with others and You. When I love others in my life, O God Almighty, I am not merely being a good person; I am bringing Your kingdom to Earth. Use me as You see fit, Lord.

My greatest desire, Heavenly Father, is to spend eternity in your presence and to learn more about You. Things in life might indeed get harsh, but as long as I have You by my side, I’ll be able to handle anything. No matter what happens, I know You’ll be there to help me through it. Who can stand in my way if you’re on my side?

Great El Shaddai, I recognize that I may not be able to maintain this lifestyle forever. I ask that you continue transforming me as my faith in Christ deepens. In every way, I want to become closer to you, my father. All of this is being requested in the glorious name of Jesus. Amen.

Conclusion

God wants to have a personal relationship with you as much as you want to draw near to God. Given you are still alive, He has not forgotten about you. Furthermore, the yearning within you to grow spiritually is a gift from the Lord. Now is the time for you to hear His call, and He has arranged everything to make that happen.

Surrender your life to Him. If you want to be closer to God, you have to start with Jesus. Only when you have accepted Jesus will the other things fall into place. In John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”