Now...if you have been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know that I'm going to tackle this from a different perspective. The reason is simple: We often apply external pressure to our lives so that we can get our behavior to follow. We seek out accountability partners who will ask us questions. We make resolutions to read the Bible more, pray more, go to church more, do more, etc. The problem with this type of approach is that we can do it all with the wrong mindset. We can make getting closer a lot of work and never see/feel the results.
Here's the deal...
If He's in you then He can't get any closer (nor can you). We talk about getting closer to God as if He's far away. That cannot be further from the truth. According to Scripture, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells inside of you. You are a partaker of the Divine Nature. Jesus Himself said, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you" (speaking about the coming of the Holy Spirit - John 14:20). This is a reality that we really need to grasp.
What I am discovering in my own life is that "getting closer to God" is tied more to awareness. Therefore, I am learning how to become more aware of His presence in my life and in the lives of others. Do I read my Bible? Do I pray? Do I fellowship with other believers? The answer to all of those things is "Yes" but I don't do those things to get closer to Him. I do those things because He has brought me close to Himself. My outward devotion to God is tied to the inner reality of His presence and my identity in Him. Everything that I do, I do as Son.
Think about it this way...
You want to get closer to your children, your spouse, another family member, or a friend. Part of the equation in this closeness requires that you fellowship together. In other words, you spend time with them. I don't know about you, but if I'm spending time with someone, I'm aware of their presence with me. In fact, there are times that I can miss out on intimate moments with family and friends when my attention is somewhere else. How many of us have missed out on what our spouse was saying because we were glued to the TV, social media, or our phones? In that moment we have allowed other things to become a distraction. What's true in the natural is true in the spiritual: We cannot allow other things to distract us from the reality of His presence in our lives. We must give attention to the reality of Him in our lives. We are determining in our hearts that we don't want to miss a thing.
Awareness of His presence is the key to getting closer. While there may be times that the distractions become so great that we need to pull away from everything (like going to the mountains, or shutting yourself off from the world), the reality is that you can experience the closeness of God each and every day of your life. Did not the psalmist say, "Be still and know that I am God"? When you learn the art of being still, learn to listen to His voice, learn to become aware of all that He is doing in you/around you, then you will appreciate His way of getting closer.
His ways are not our ways...
If you have spent any amount of time in the church then you realize how radically different this sounds. It may even appear to be a bit mystical. But what I'm trying to convey to you is that learning how to live in the Spirit of God is vital to your experience of Him. Whenever you move into the striving mentality - working to get closer - you can actually lose intimacy. While there are times for diligence, and learning, there are also times when you need to cease from your labor and learn how to interact with God. Part of your journey is knowing how to differentiate between the two.
It is my prayer that you become AWARE of His presence in you. That you will stop thinking of God as far away. That you will understand that it is IN HIM that you "live and move and have your being."
Enjoy your day. Enjoy your awakening. And...Enjoy the journey!!!
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