I was reading Psalm 73:28 (NIV) “But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Now, I ask myself: Why don’t we draw near to God, and how do we do it? What do you think?

The Problem: Why don’t we draw near to God? Here are some of my thoughts. Please email me and share yours, or leave a comment. Here might be the biggest reason we don’t draw near to God:

We don’t draw near to God because we are self-sufficient

God says in many places in Scripture, draw near to the LORD. He wouldn’t say it, if it weren’t a problem.

I will share some Bible verses on this subject later, but I want to propose a few other reasons we don’t draw near to God.

Lack of Knowledge about God and His Word makes our relationship with Him shallow

What you and I don’t know about God is our loss. He is infinitely more powerful and gracious than anything or anyone we will ever encounter. If you need help understanding God and His Word, join us for a one-year daily chronological Bible study.

Here is another reason we don’t draw near to God

We are too busy for a personal relationship with God

Let’s face it, most people in the modern world have so many activities, it doesn’t seem like we have time to fit God in. Know what I mean? But really, for most of us, we know that’s just an excuse.

Here is the convicting part:

God is not a priority

What do we prioritize? We can think of many things — sports, activities, hobbies, repairs, schooling, jobs and job searches, social media, family get-togethers, and the list goes on and on and on.

The next reason could well be the first:

We don’t draw near to God because we don’t know Him

Likely, some of you don’t know Him. Maybe people think you do. You are not fooling God; you have no relationship with Him. Here is the good news: You can know Him, and He wants to know you, forgive you, give you peace and salvation from your sins, enter into your life, and provide you a guaranteed place in heaven. Learn more here.

But, maybe you say, I do have a relationship with Him. I have been forgiven. Well then, here is another reason:

Nearness with God makes us uncomfortable

Why are we uncomfortable to be near God? What answers do you have? Is he scary? Is there sin in your life? Has it been a long time since you communicated with God? If so, here is another reason for not drawing near to God:

Prayerlessness keeps us from drawing near to God

Why are we prayerless? Besides the reasons given above, it’s just possible we are guilty of some sins, and we don’t want to face God. How long should we avoid God to confess our sins? If we confess our sins in a spirit of genuine repentance, he will forgive us (1John 1:9).

Perhaps that is not our problem. We just have not prayed in a while. If so, here is another obvious reason for not drawing near to God:

We are negligent; we don’t pursue the relationship

If you have a relationship with people, and you want it deeper, can you get it without pursuing them? Of course, not. Time spent with them must be quality and quantity.

By now, you are probably wondering am I ever going to answer the question, how do we draw near to God? We have identified the problems, but what are the solutions? What are your answers?

How to draw near to God

To draw near to God, it is important to realize that he wants you to. As a child, it was easy for most of us to hop on the lap of an adult we loved and give them a hug. Have you ever looked at someone you didn’t know very well and think, he seems nice and friendly. I would sure like to give him a hug. Maybe as a child it was Santa Claus. Well, God is not Santa Claus, but look at some of the things he says, inviting you to draw near:

Draw near to God because He is the LORD of the universe, yet he wants to save you.

Isaiah 41:22

Turn to Me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth;

for I am God,

and there is no other.

My comment: Wow! This alone is a good reason to draw near to God–He can save us. He and no one else.

Yes, but he is a little bit scary. As Aslan the Lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis, God is powerful. He does enact justice. We wouldn’t want him if he didn’t. Yet God is good. He loves us and wants a personal relationship with us. These next verses always encourage me. I hope you will be encouraged, too.

God wants to be with you, listen, and help you

Exodus 34:6-7 And he [God] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,  maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

My comment: We often hear that the God of the Old Testament is mean. No, my friend, there is only one God, eternally existent in 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is the triune God, and each one works in perfect concert with the others. If you read all of the Old Testament, you can see God is first gracious, compassionate, loving, and forgiving. When he brings justice to a situation, he is not mean–you have God in your corner. Wouldn’t you like to know the person who fights for you?

Drawing near to God requires our action

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

My comment: If we want closeness with God, and have him fight for us, it requires that we do something. It’s not automatic. Maybe, we need to come to him for forgiveness of sins to restore our relationship with him and others,. Then we need to draw near unto the loving arms of our heavenly Father. To maintain our relationship, we need to set aside quality and quantity time alone with God. Even Jesus did this often with God the Father. Yes, but how do we begin? Begin with prayer like David.

Desire for God draws us near to Him

David, the prominent author of many of the Psalms, was a man after God’s own heart. We can see his heart in Psalm 63:

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

² I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
³ Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
⁵ I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

⁶ On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

⁹ Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.
¹⁰ They will be given over to the sword
    and become food for jackals.

¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Question: What words in the Psalm express David’s desire to draw near to God: what is he doing? Write it in the box below. This is how we draw near to God.

Enter your answer here:

What is the cry of your heart? Take it God. Draw near to Him. You will never regret it.

Jesus Invites Us to Draw Near

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

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