Struggling to Draw Near to God? This Is for You...

The wildflower fields are speckled with the vibrant freckles of black-eyed susans. I stare at the gold flecks and struggle to quiet my racing mind. I’m tired of mindlessly skimming through the Bible and failing to draw near to God in the quiet moments of my morning.

I’m pondering a new approach when my 4-year-old shuffles into the room. He takes hold of my hand and pulls me outside to the deck. He points to the fields and says, “Daddy’s out there with the dogs.”

I don’t believe him until I hear the howl of our beagle rolling over the wildflowers.

It’s Saturday, and I’m glad Darrell is out of the house enjoying God’s creation. I soak in the pale blue sky, hearkening beagles, lavender aster, and mourning dove coos. I’m startled from my revelry when my little boy breaks the silence. With all his might, he screams at the top of his lungs, “Dad!”

We can’t see his father across the field, but little Caleb won’t relent. He’s desperate for his dad. He slips into his shoes, runs to the yard, and screams even louder, “Daaaaad!”

Two more calls and I see a pale arm waving at the sky several hundred yards away.

“Caleb!” Darrell yells.

Within minutes, the boys are united among the wildflowers, and I slip inside to begin the day.

Later, I drive to a quiet lakeshore for some time alone beneath blue skies. Sailboats drift slowly along the horizon, and no one is in a hurry here. I sit by the water and open my Bible.

What Happens When You Draw Near to God

I turn to familiar words and let them wash over me like the waves lapping on this sandy shoreline.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

I think about Caleb calling his dad. I smile as I remember Darrell eagerly calling out to his son and hustling across the wildflower fiends to meet him.

A poignant image forms in my mind. Every time I call out to God, he waves his arm among the fields of wildflowers and runs to embrace me. Just like the father of the prodigal son, our God sets aside all propriety and runs to me.

My role is simple: Take a step in his direction.

I take a step in his direction, and he runs to meet me.

Did you know Jewish men in Jesus’ day didn’t run?

Jogging wasn’t a pastime grown men undertook.

The thought of a grown man running would be undignified – even embarrassing.

And yet, Jesus tells the story of the father running to his wayward son to illustrate an important point. Our heavenly Father loves us so deeply he is not ashamed to set aside propriety and run to us.

Draw near to God, and God will run to meet you.

He wants to you spend time with him. He wants your time together to refresh, refill, and strengthen you.

4 Ways to Draw Near to God

My afternoon by the lake took place awhile ago. Since that day, I’ve been collecting ideas to help me draw near to God. I’ve been seeing what works for me and pursuing God in all sorts of ways. By God’s grace, I am connecting with him in ways that are reviving my soul. Here are four powerful ways to draw near to God and connect with him. I pray these tips bless you:

1. Draw Near to God By Doing More Than Skimming Your Bible

In her book Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton offers an example of how to enter into God’s Word in an interactive way.

Her encouragement is simple. Imagine you are the blind beggar along the road, the paralytic by the pool, the bleeding woman, or an onlooker in some Bible passage.

Imagine the scene.

Take it a step further and do some research on what sights, sounds, and smells might have been present in the moment. Allow yourself to actually walk through the story as you read.

You will most likely find yourself asking questions that lead to further research, and you might very well encounter Christ himself through this experience of sanctified imagination.

2. Enter into Prayer as a Two-way Conversation

This is a simple reminder I need almost every day. It’s easy to run through our lists of prayer requests without stilling ourselves to listen for the impressions God wants to put on our hearts.

Make it a practice to sit in silence as much as you talk when you pray.

Remain attentive to any Scripture God puts on your heart.

Test the impressions against the Word of God, common wisdom, and with other experienced believers, but remember that God longs for a relationship. Allow him to speak into your quiet time as much as you speak into it.

3. Adopt Physical Postures During Prayer

When I struggle to focus during prayer (which is often), adopting physical postures is a helpful method.

Begin your prayer time with open arms in a posture of surrender to the Lord, continue by giving thanks with raised hands, confess with open palms, release cares with outspread arms, and receive with open hands.

While this is uncomfortable for most of us, it is very useful in promoting focus and posturing our hearts in humility to receive from God.

In addition to prayer postures, praying through names of God or prayer steps can be a helpful tool. Pastor Richard LaFountain offers a wealth of insight on praying through various steps and prayer postures on his Prayer Today website here.

4. Pursue Silence and Solitude

Simply resting in the awareness that we are loved by God is a powerful and revitalizing activity.

At the end of each day, I still my soul to rest in the awareness of God’s love.

Like sitting with a trusted friend in silent enjoyment along a lake or by the ocean, simply quieting ourselves for a few minutes, all while meditating on God’s love for us, is a refreshing way to encounter him.

Ruth Haley Barton wrote an entire book on this practice, called Invitation to Solitude and Silence. This book transformed the way I perceived “stillness” forever.

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Friend, God wants to do more than simply wave at you from across a field of wildflowers. Draw near to God, and he will run to meet you.

A Free Devotional to Help You Draw Near to God:

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These books are free on Kindle Unlimited or available to purchase in print:

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

Calling all moms and daughters!

Additionally, my teen daughter, Bekah, and I are passionate about helping moms and daughters grow closer while connecting with God. We have written two mother-daughter devotionals together. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section after each devotion.

Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, purity, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. We will help you!

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