How Do I Draw Near to God, and What Happens When I Do?
Drawing Near: Four Practices That Transform Your Walk with God
There's a question every child asks on a long car ride: "Are we there yet?" Behind those impatient words lies a deeper truth—we're all heading somewhere. We all have a destination in mind.
But what if the most important question isn't about arriving at a physical place, but about drawing closer to someone? What if the journey of faith is less about reaching a final destination and more about continually moving toward the heart of God?
The book of James offers us a stunning promise: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8). It's an invitation that echoes throughout Scripture—a call to intimacy with the Creator of the universe. But how exactly do we draw near? And what happens when we do?
The Starting Point: Deal With Sin
Before we can draw close to God, we must confront an uncomfortable reality: sin separates us from Him. Isaiah 59:2 makes this clear: "Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God."
James doesn't mince words when addressing this issue. He writes, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8). The word "cleanse" was used in Old Testament contexts for priests purifying themselves before entering God's presence. James applies this same urgency to our daily lives.
Notice that James addresses both our hands and our hearts—our actions and our thoughts. He's calling for comprehensive transformation. Our deeds must reflect Christ-likeness, but so must our inner thought life. There's no room for compartmentalization in the Christian walk.
The term "double-minded" is particularly striking. It describes someone trying to straddle a fence, wavering between two views. How many of us attempt to walk with God just enough to feel spiritual, while indulging in worldly pleasures just enough to feel satisfied? James calls this spiritual adultery. He writes, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" (James 4:4).
The contrast James presents is stark: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:7-8). We cannot serve two masters. The path to intimacy with God begins with honest repentance—a daily turning away from sin and turning toward our Savior.
This isn't about earning salvation through works. Positionally, believers are already as close to God as they can be—sealed by the Holy Spirit, fully redeemed. But practically, we're called to daily growth, to be increasingly conformed to the image of Christ. None of us have arrived. Each day presents new opportunities to deal with sin through repentance and faith.
The Lifeline: Draw Near in Prayer
Prayer is more than a spiritual discipline—it's the very breath of relationship with God. Psalm 141:2 offers a beautiful image: "May my prayer be counted as incense before you." The book of Revelation echoes this, describing the prayers of the saints as fragrant incense rising to heaven.
What a remarkable picture! When we pray, it's as though we're releasing a sweet perfume that delights the heart of God. Our prayers acknowledge His existence, His power, and His care for us. In fact, to refuse to pray is to make a silent declaration that God either doesn't exist or doesn't matter.
Prayer isn't optional for believers. When Jesus taught about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, He didn't say "if you pray" but "when you pray" (Matthew 6:5-6). There's an expectation that God's people will be people of prayer.
And here's the encouraging truth: God hears. Isaiah 30:19 promises, "He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When he hears it, he will answer you." This doesn't mean God will answer every prayer exactly as we wish or according to our timeline. But it does mean our prayers are never futile. God hears, God cares, and God responds.
James 5:16 reminds us that "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Don't lose heart. Don't think prayer is a waste of time. In fact, those moments spent in prayer might be the most important moments of your entire day—the thirty seconds of surrender that open your heart to hear from God.
Hebrews 4:16 gives us confidence: "Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." We don't approach God arrogantly, but we can come confidently—not because of our worthiness, but because of Jesus.
The Nourishment: Consume the Word Daily
Jeremiah 15:16 captures the hunger every believer should have for Scripture: "Your words were found and I ate them." Notice the active language—Jeremiah didn't just read God's words; he consumed them, digested them, made them part of himself.
How often do we open the Bible? Daily consumption of Scripture is one of the most transformative habits we can develop. God's Word reveals everything we need to know about salvation, about sin, about our Savior, and about the solution God provides.
Yet we live in an age of endless distraction. We scroll social media for hours, research fantasy football lineups, search for recipes, and binge-watch shows—but claim we don't have time to read three chapters of the Bible. The issue isn't time; it's priority.
What if we approached Scripture with the same eagerness we bring to our favorite entertainment? What if we craved God's Word the way we crave our morning coffee? The Bible isn't just another book to check off a list. It's living, active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It has the power to transform us from the inside out.
The Community: Invest in the Local Church
Christianity was never meant to be a solo journey. From Genesis onward, Scripture emphasizes relationship and community. God Himself exists in eternal relationship as the Trinity. When Adam was alone, God said, "It is not good" (Genesis 2:18).
Throughout the New Testament, from Acts through Revelation, nearly every book is written either about a church or to a church. The local congregation is God's design for accomplishing His purposes on earth. There is no Plan B.
Paul uses powerful metaphors to describe the church. We are the "body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27)—interconnected parts that need each other to function properly. We are also the "bride of Christ" (Ephesians 5:25-27)—in an intimate, inseparable relationship with our Savior.
Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." This sharpening happens in community. We need each other's encouragement, accountability, wisdom, and support. Watching a service from home in your pajamas has its place during illness or travel, but it cannot replace the power of gathering together in person.
The local congregation is where we worship together, serve together, learn together, and grow together. It's where iron sharpens iron, where burdens are shared, and where the body of Christ becomes visible to a watching world.
The Promise: Sin Becomes Bitter, the Savior Becomes Sweeter
When we commit to these four practices—dealing with sin, drawing near in prayer, consuming God's Word daily, and investing in the local church—something beautiful happens. Sin loses its appeal. The things that once tempted us begin to look hollow and empty. Meanwhile, Jesus becomes increasingly precious. His grace becomes sweeter, His presence more real, His love more tangible.
This is the promise embedded in James 4:8: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." It's not a one-sided effort. As we take steps toward Him, He moves toward us. The gap closes. Intimacy grows. And we discover that the destination we've been seeking all along isn't a place—it's a Person.
So the question isn't "Are we there yet?" The question is "Am I drawing near?" And the answer begins today.
In Christ's Services,
There's a question every child asks on a long car ride: "Are we there yet?" Behind those impatient words lies a deeper truth—we're all heading somewhere. We all have a destination in mind.
But what if the most important question isn't about arriving at a physical place, but about drawing closer to someone? What if the journey of faith is less about reaching a final destination and more about continually moving toward the heart of God?
The book of James offers us a stunning promise: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8). It's an invitation that echoes throughout Scripture—a call to intimacy with the Creator of the universe. But how exactly do we draw near? And what happens when we do?
The Starting Point: Deal With Sin
Before we can draw close to God, we must confront an uncomfortable reality: sin separates us from Him. Isaiah 59:2 makes this clear: "Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God."
James doesn't mince words when addressing this issue. He writes, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8). The word "cleanse" was used in Old Testament contexts for priests purifying themselves before entering God's presence. James applies this same urgency to our daily lives.
Notice that James addresses both our hands and our hearts—our actions and our thoughts. He's calling for comprehensive transformation. Our deeds must reflect Christ-likeness, but so must our inner thought life. There's no room for compartmentalization in the Christian walk.
The term "double-minded" is particularly striking. It describes someone trying to straddle a fence, wavering between two views. How many of us attempt to walk with God just enough to feel spiritual, while indulging in worldly pleasures just enough to feel satisfied? James calls this spiritual adultery. He writes, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" (James 4:4).
The contrast James presents is stark: "Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:7-8). We cannot serve two masters. The path to intimacy with God begins with honest repentance—a daily turning away from sin and turning toward our Savior.
This isn't about earning salvation through works. Positionally, believers are already as close to God as they can be—sealed by the Holy Spirit, fully redeemed. But practically, we're called to daily growth, to be increasingly conformed to the image of Christ. None of us have arrived. Each day presents new opportunities to deal with sin through repentance and faith.
The Lifeline: Draw Near in Prayer
Prayer is more than a spiritual discipline—it's the very breath of relationship with God. Psalm 141:2 offers a beautiful image: "May my prayer be counted as incense before you." The book of Revelation echoes this, describing the prayers of the saints as fragrant incense rising to heaven.
What a remarkable picture! When we pray, it's as though we're releasing a sweet perfume that delights the heart of God. Our prayers acknowledge His existence, His power, and His care for us. In fact, to refuse to pray is to make a silent declaration that God either doesn't exist or doesn't matter.
Prayer isn't optional for believers. When Jesus taught about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, He didn't say "if you pray" but "when you pray" (Matthew 6:5-6). There's an expectation that God's people will be people of prayer.
And here's the encouraging truth: God hears. Isaiah 30:19 promises, "He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When he hears it, he will answer you." This doesn't mean God will answer every prayer exactly as we wish or according to our timeline. But it does mean our prayers are never futile. God hears, God cares, and God responds.
James 5:16 reminds us that "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Don't lose heart. Don't think prayer is a waste of time. In fact, those moments spent in prayer might be the most important moments of your entire day—the thirty seconds of surrender that open your heart to hear from God.
Hebrews 4:16 gives us confidence: "Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." We don't approach God arrogantly, but we can come confidently—not because of our worthiness, but because of Jesus.
The Nourishment: Consume the Word Daily
Jeremiah 15:16 captures the hunger every believer should have for Scripture: "Your words were found and I ate them." Notice the active language—Jeremiah didn't just read God's words; he consumed them, digested them, made them part of himself.
How often do we open the Bible? Daily consumption of Scripture is one of the most transformative habits we can develop. God's Word reveals everything we need to know about salvation, about sin, about our Savior, and about the solution God provides.
Yet we live in an age of endless distraction. We scroll social media for hours, research fantasy football lineups, search for recipes, and binge-watch shows—but claim we don't have time to read three chapters of the Bible. The issue isn't time; it's priority.
What if we approached Scripture with the same eagerness we bring to our favorite entertainment? What if we craved God's Word the way we crave our morning coffee? The Bible isn't just another book to check off a list. It's living, active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It has the power to transform us from the inside out.
The Community: Invest in the Local Church
Christianity was never meant to be a solo journey. From Genesis onward, Scripture emphasizes relationship and community. God Himself exists in eternal relationship as the Trinity. When Adam was alone, God said, "It is not good" (Genesis 2:18).
Throughout the New Testament, from Acts through Revelation, nearly every book is written either about a church or to a church. The local congregation is God's design for accomplishing His purposes on earth. There is no Plan B.
Paul uses powerful metaphors to describe the church. We are the "body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27)—interconnected parts that need each other to function properly. We are also the "bride of Christ" (Ephesians 5:25-27)—in an intimate, inseparable relationship with our Savior.
Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." This sharpening happens in community. We need each other's encouragement, accountability, wisdom, and support. Watching a service from home in your pajamas has its place during illness or travel, but it cannot replace the power of gathering together in person.
The local congregation is where we worship together, serve together, learn together, and grow together. It's where iron sharpens iron, where burdens are shared, and where the body of Christ becomes visible to a watching world.
The Promise: Sin Becomes Bitter, the Savior Becomes Sweeter
When we commit to these four practices—dealing with sin, drawing near in prayer, consuming God's Word daily, and investing in the local church—something beautiful happens. Sin loses its appeal. The things that once tempted us begin to look hollow and empty. Meanwhile, Jesus becomes increasingly precious. His grace becomes sweeter, His presence more real, His love more tangible.
This is the promise embedded in James 4:8: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." It's not a one-sided effort. As we take steps toward Him, He moves toward us. The gap closes. Intimacy grows. And we discover that the destination we've been seeking all along isn't a place—it's a Person.
So the question isn't "Are we there yet?" The question is "Am I drawing near?" And the answer begins today.
In Christ's Services,
Pastor Kirk Flaa
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