At various times, everyone encounters moments when they feel that God is distant, especially during life’s stormy seasons. In this post, I want to explore incredible Bible verses on getting closer to God, but first, I want to emphasize the immense, boundless power of God’s Word in our lives.
Okay. Before I do, let me show you how I’ve organized these thoughts on your screen.
Table of Contents
As I said, hard times can make us feel light years from God.
But that is not the only time.
In ordinary, regular seasons in our lives, God can “feel” distant then, too.
I call those times “wilderness seasons.” Have you ever had one of those times in your life? It’s those times when you know He will never leave you, but He feels …well, gone.
All this got me thinking.
Whether you’re in a good time or a really bad one, you need to be close to the Lord.
If you don’t know Him at all, click here.
Reflecting on God’s Word – Oh, the Benefits!
Meditating on Bible verses will help you draw closer to God and strengthen your inner self.
As you well know, Christian Sister, God’s Word is powerful!
It’s so alive that it should have a heartbeat! Maybe it does. Maybe the Holy Spirit is the heartbeat of God’s Word.
I don’t know, but I do know it is stronger than any vitamin, living, active culture, or that nasty sea moss everyone drinks these days!
By the way, sea moss is gross.
Sea moss tastes like the ocean decided to share its worst-kept secret.
Anyway, God’s word is alive, and when it is inside you, it makes you more alive than you would ever be without it!
Here is proof:
” For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 English Standard Version 2016
Look: when you mentally “ingest” Bible verses by memorizing them, they bring light into your spirit.
Bible verses will not only bring you closer to God, but they will bring you closer to hopefulness, too.
Faith and hope are close cousins.
God’s Word is the antidote to negativity and despair.
Do you know what else? Speaking God’s Word is a spiritual weapon that is both offensive and defensive.
Jesus used the Word to fight the enemy. Read Matthew 4:1-11 for more information.
The Book of Ephesians, chapter six, literally refers to the Bible as the sword of the spirit!
“…sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Ephesians 6:17
I hope I’ve ignited a fire within you to truly grasp the transformative power of God’s Word!
Now, let’s move on and talk about using those words to get closer to the Lord.
Great Bible verses on getting closer to God
The first scripture I’ll present below is a blessing to me because it confirms that we have access to the almighty God.
Think about it.
We have access to the God of the universe. The Creator of all things.
It’s a profound connection that transcends our understanding and the heavy, earthly realm we occupy!
We actually have an invitation to commune with the Lord and seek guidance, comfort, and wisdom. I’ll talk about that later.
“… through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:18
This scripture from Ephesians is one of my favorite bible verses on getting closer to God.
Why?
Because it reassures us that we do not have to be alone.
I’m in a season where I feel alone because I’m learning to navigate some hard times without my mother. Even at my age, this is very, very hard.
However, I am not alone! Besides my wonderful church family, my blood family and I have the Lord.
You do, too!
We can always reach out to Him, draw closer to Him, and find solace in His loving embrace whenever we need Him.
This will rejuvenate our spirits and give us the direction and power to continue in any circumstance.
Scripture #2:
An Invitation Like No Other
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
I love the way the Holy Spirit phrased this scripture.
It’s almost like an invitation to draw closer to God when we need His mercy and grace.
Frankly, this scripture is often used during life trials, but I need His mercy and grace on my best day. So, I need it all the time!
This scripture is another one of my favorite Bible verses on getting closer to God.
Scripture 3:
You can’t get any closer than this:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”
We need to remain close to God. It is a matter of genuine necessity. If we don’t, we will shrivel and dry out under the pressure and strain of this world.
We will produce nothing. Nothing of value would be accomplished.
We would be almost paralyzed as we meander around, depleted and empty.
Jesus invites us to be unimaginably close to Him —to abide in Him. Think about it!
Again, you can’t get any closer to God than that.
The God reveals Himself to those who seek him Bible verse
When I was little, I liked absolutes.
I hated it when my mom would say we “might” go to the mall or “may” go to the local amusement park, Worlds of Fun.
Instead, in my childish exuberance, I preferred her to say definitively we would do something or NOT do something else. I hated the “limbo” of not knowing.
Absolutes are wonderful, and they comfort us.
Thank God He is a God of absolutes. He promises us so many wonderful things, and He always delivers!
Scripture 4: A Solid Promise
One of the best things He provides, and the next of our Bible verses on getting closer to God, is an absolute:
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
If we get closer to Him, the Bible says He will MOST CERTAINLY get closer to us!
That’s better than going to Worlds of Fun!
That’s a promise that will yield a much better eternal result.
Amen?
How to get closer to God spiritually
So far, I’ve told you “why” you should keep God’s Word close to you – in good times and bad.
Then, I shared scriptures on His strategy and almost his admonition to stay close.
This scripture is more about how sweet God is.
These Bible verses on getting closer to God speak to His promise to hear us and His availability when we look to Him.
Hey, Christian Woman, consider this a diagram of how to get closer to Him and what will happen when you do.
If you have your Bible, take a moment to bookmark or highlight these passages in Jeremiah 29: 12-14.
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Here are the most relevant words in the scripture array.
Warning: you won’t have the opportunity forever
Time is short. Jesus is coming back.
This is real.
Ignoring this fact is like stepping outside in a pair of sandals after every meteorologists in your area has broadcasted and confirmed that a blizzard is coming.
We have the most reliable prediction.
The Bible tells us Jesus is coming back for Christians, and this event is often referred to as the Second Coming.
He will return to gather His followers, both the living and the dead, and take them to a place He has prepared.
This truth is a cornerstone of our Christian faith. The video at the end of this post provides a solid theological context. Dr. David Jeremiah explains this in more detail.
Scripture 5: Don’t hesitate – Draw closer now!
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;”
Isaiah 55:6 ESV
A Bonus Scripture!
The scripture in James 4:8 confirms that if we make an effort to draw closer to God, He will respond by coming closer to us.
How beautiful is that?
It highlights how crucial it is to actively work on our Christian path and keep our hearts close to God so He will be close to us.
Here is the scripture:
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…”
James 4:8
There you have it…
Hey, thank you for reading this blog post from my heart to your eyes.
I pray these scriptures encourage you to get closer to the Lord. He is your lifeblood.
He’s your Source.
The best part is He has made it possible for us to get closer to Him!
No! The best part is He wants to be close to us!
