Do You Feel Close to God?
- Edward D. Andrews
- 2 hours ago
- 10 min read
Being Close to God Is Possible
A close relationship with God is not a vague feeling reserved for a few unusually spiritual people. The Bible plainly shows that humans can draw near to Jehovah and enjoy a real relationship with Him. Isaiah 41:8 records Jehovah calling Abraham His friend, which proves that friendship with God is possible for imperfect humans who exercise faith and obey Him. James 4:8 gives the warm invitation to draw close to God, with the promise that He will draw close in return. Since Jehovah is invisible, closeness to Him is not built through physical nearness but through knowledge, faith, obedience, prayer, and love for His Word. A person becomes close to God in a way similar to how a respectful human friendship grows, by learning who He is, listening to Him, speaking to Him, and acting in harmony with His will. This closeness is not sentimental imagination because it is grounded in the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The person who wants to feel close to God must therefore approach Him on His terms, not through human tradition, emotional display, or mystical claims.
Knowing Jehovah by Name
Friendship begins with knowing a person’s name, and closeness to God begins with knowing and honoring His personal name, Jehovah. Exodus 3:15 shows that God identified Himself by His name and connected that name with His dealings with His people. Psalm 83:18 teaches that Jehovah is the Most High over all the earth, making His name central to true worship. A person who treats God only as a distant force, vague higher power, or unnamed religious idea cannot enjoy the closeness Scripture describes. Names matter because they identify the person, and Jehovah’s name is tied to His character, His promises, and His acts. When a believer reads Scripture and sees Jehovah’s mercy, justice, patience, holiness, and faithfulness, that believer comes to know the One behind the name. Knowing God’s name does not mean merely pronouncing it; it means revering the God who bears it and refusing to attach His name to false worship or disobedience. The more accurately a person knows Jehovah as He has revealed Himself, the more stable and meaningful closeness to Him becomes.
Listening to God Through His Word
A person draws close to Jehovah by listening to Him through His inspired Word. Second Timothy 3:16-17 teaches that all Scripture is inspired of God and useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. This means that the Bible is not merely a religious artifact but Jehovah’s living instruction for belief and conduct. A person who wants closeness with God cannot neglect Scripture and then wonder why God feels distant. In human friendship, one cannot grow close while refusing to listen; the same principle applies, in a higher way, to the Creator. Reading the Bible carefully allows a believer to learn what Jehovah loves, what He hates, what He promises, what He commands, and how He deals with people. Psalm 119:105 describes God’s word as a lamp for the foot and a light for the path, showing that guidance comes through His revealed instruction. The Holy Spirit guides Christians through the Spirit-inspired Word, not through private impulses that compete with Scripture.
Speaking to Jehovah in Prayer
Closeness to God also grows through prayer, because prayer is the reverent way believers speak to Jehovah. Philippians 4:6-7 tells Christians not to be anxious but to make requests known to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Prayer is not a ritual performance designed to impress others, and it is not a mechanical repetition of memorized phrases. Matthew 6:7 warns against empty repetition, while Matthew 6:9-13 gives a model that centers on God’s name, kingdom, will, daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil. A believer can speak to Jehovah about fears, gratitude, weaknesses, responsibilities, and the desire to obey Him more fully. This does not mean God grants every request exactly as asked, because prayer must be shaped by His will and wisdom. First John 5:14 says that confidence in prayer is connected to asking according to God’s will. A person who prays honestly and submissively learns to rely on Jehovah rather than treating Him as distant until a crisis appears.
Drawing Close Through Obedience
Obedience is essential to closeness with God because friendship with Jehovah cannot be separated from loyalty to His commands. John 14:15 records Jesus saying that those who love Him keep His commandments. First John 5:3 says that love for God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. This does not mean that Christians earn eternal life through flawless performance, because eternal life is a gift from God through Christ. It does mean that a person cannot knowingly continue in disobedience and still claim sincere closeness to Jehovah. For example, a person who prays for God’s nearness while practicing dishonesty, sexual immorality, drunkenness, hatred, or false worship is resisting the very holiness that closeness requires. Proverbs 3:5-6 calls believers to trust in Jehovah with all the heart and to acknowledge Him in all their ways. The person who obeys God in private decisions, not merely in public religious speech, experiences the peace of walking in harmony with His will.
The Role of Jesus Christ in Drawing Close to God
No one draws close to Jehovah while bypassing Jesus Christ, because the Father has appointed the Son as the only way of approach. John 14:6 records Jesus saying that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. First Timothy 2:5 identifies one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. This means that closeness to God is not built on personal sincerity alone, religious heritage, or moral effort apart from Christ. Jesus’ sacrificial death provides the basis for forgiveness, reconciliation, and the hope of eternal life. Romans 5:10 teaches that reconciliation to God is through the death of His Son, showing that Christ’s sacrifice is central to peace with God. A person who wants closeness to Jehovah must therefore exercise faith in Jesus, listen to His teaching, imitate His obedience, and accept the value of His sacrifice. True spirituality is Christ-centered because Jehovah has made His Son central to His purpose.
Feeling Distant Because of Guilt
Some people do not feel close to God because guilt has made them afraid to approach Him. They know their sins, remember foolish decisions, and conclude that Jehovah must be unwilling to hear them. Scripture does not minimize sin, but it also does not teach that a repentant person should hide from God in despair. Psalm 51 shows David grieving deeply over his sin while still appealing to God’s mercy and asking for a clean heart. Isaiah 55:7 calls the wicked to leave his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, returning to Jehovah, who will show mercy. Acts 3:19 calls sinners to repent and turn back so that their sins may be blotted out. Guilt should move a person toward repentance, confession, correction, and renewed obedience, not toward isolation from God. A tender conscience becomes spiritually useful when it drives the sinner back to Jehovah through the means He has provided.
Feeling Distant During Hardship
Some feel far from God during hardship because pain can make prayer difficult and Scripture reading feel heavy. The Bible never teaches that closeness to God means a life free from sorrow, opposition, sickness, disappointment, or pressure from a wicked world. Psalm 34:18 says that Jehovah is near to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit. Second Corinthians 1:3-4 describes God as the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts His people in their affliction. Such comfort does not always remove the hardship immediately, but it strengthens the believer to endure faithfully. Satan, demons, human imperfection, and the wicked world produce many painful conditions, but Jehovah’s Word gives truth that steadies the mind. A person in distress may need to read shorter portions of Scripture, pray in simple words, and accept encouragement from mature Christians. Closeness to God is not measured by emotional intensity but by continued trust and obedience when life is difficult.
Avoiding False Measures of Closeness
Many people wrongly measure closeness to God by emotional experiences, religious excitement, or claims of private messages from the Spirit. The Bible directs Christians to measure closeness by faith, obedience, love, truth, holiness, endurance, and submission to Scripture. Matthew 7:21-23 warns that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” is approved by Christ, even when they claim powerful religious works. This warning shows that impressive claims are not the same as doing the will of the Father. First John 2:3-6 says that knowing God is shown by keeping His commandments and walking as Jesus walked. A person may feel emotionally moved by music or a religious gathering while still refusing to obey Jehovah in daily life. Another person may feel emotionally quiet yet be faithfully praying, studying Scripture, resisting sin, caring for family, and sharing the truth with others. The second person is closer to God in the biblical sense because closeness is governed by truth and obedience, not by emotional display.
Christian Association and Spiritual Encouragement
Closeness to God is strengthened by association with faithful Christians who love Scripture and encourage obedience. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells Christians to consider how to stir one another to love and good works and not to neglect meeting together. This counsel matters because isolation often weakens spiritual focus, especially when a person is discouraged, busy, or spiritually tired. Mature believers can remind one another of Jehovah’s promises, help one another reason from Scripture, and provide correction when thinking becomes unbalanced. Proverbs 13:20 says that the one walking with wise people becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm. A young Christian who spends most of his time with people who mock the Bible will usually find his closeness to God weakening. A family that regularly discusses Scripture, prays together, and speaks respectfully about Jehovah’s standards creates an environment where faith is nourished. Association does not replace personal devotion, but it supports it by placing the believer among those moving in the same spiritual direction.
Evangelism and Closeness to God
Evangelism also strengthens closeness to God because it aligns the believer with Jehovah’s purpose to make truth known. Matthew 28:19-20 records Jesus’ command to make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He commanded. Acts 1:8 shows that Jesus’ followers were to bear witness, and the book of Acts records Christians speaking boldly about the good news. Sharing biblical truth is not reserved for a special class of Christians; it is part of faithful discipleship. When a believer explains Scripture to another person, his own appreciation often deepens because he must think clearly about what God has said. A Christian who speaks about Jehovah’s name, Christ’s sacrifice, the resurrection hope, and the coming Kingdom becomes more aware of the value of those truths. Evangelism also trains courage, compassion, patience, and reliance on God. A person who wants to feel close to God should not only receive spiritual truth but also share it with others in a respectful and faithful way.
Baptism and a Public Life of Discipleship
Baptism is an important step for one who has repented, exercised faith, and chosen to follow Christ. In Scripture, baptism is immersion in water, not sprinkling, and it is for believers rather than infants. Matthew 28:19 connects baptism with discipleship, and Acts 8:36-38 shows baptism taking place when the person understood and responded to the message. Romans 6:3-4 connects baptism with union with Christ in His death and a new walk of life. Baptism does not work as magic, and water itself does not cleanse the conscience apart from faith and obedience. First Peter 3:21 connects baptism with an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A person who has not yet taken this step should consider whether he truly understands the good news, has repented of sin, and is ready to live as a disciple. Public identification with Christ strengthens closeness to God because it marks a life no longer directed by self-rule but by loyal obedience to Jehovah.
Hope and the Nearness of God
The hope Jehovah gives also strengthens closeness to Him because hope anchors the believer’s mind beyond present pain. The Bible teaches that eternal life is a gift, not a natural possession that humans already have within themselves. Death is the cessation of personhood, and the hope of the dead rests in resurrection, God’s re-creation of the person by His power and memory. John 5:28-29 teaches that those in the memorial tombs will hear Christ’s voice and come out. Acts 24:15 speaks of a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. Revelation 21:3-4 describes a future in which God will be with mankind and death, mourning, crying, and pain will be no more. This hope is not escapism; it is God’s promised answer to sin, death, and the damage caused by Satan’s world. A believer who keeps this hope clear feels closer to Jehovah because he sees that God’s purpose is not vague comfort but the full restoration of righteous life under Christ’s rule.
Daily Practices That Deepen Closeness
Closeness to God is cultivated through daily practices that place Jehovah’s Word at the center of thought and conduct. A believer can read a portion of Scripture each day, not merely to finish a schedule but to understand what Jehovah is teaching. He can pause over a verse such as Psalm 139:23-24 and ask God to examine his heart, expose wrong ways, and lead him in the way of righteousness. He can pray before making decisions, especially decisions about friendships, entertainment, money, work, speech, and family responsibilities. He can memorize key passages, such as Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:33, John 14:6, and First Corinthians 10:13, so that biblical truth is ready when temptation or fear arises. He can keep a simple record of answered prayers, lessons learned, and areas where repentance is needed. He can speak with spiritually mature Christians when he needs counsel rather than relying only on his own thinking. These concrete habits do not earn God’s love, but they train the heart to remain attentive to Jehovah throughout ordinary life.
Confidence in Jehovah’s Nearness
A Christian does not need to guess whether Jehovah welcomes those who sincerely seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says that the one approaching God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those earnestly seeking Him. Psalm 145:18 says that Jehovah is near to all who call on Him in truth. That final phrase matters because God’s nearness is not promised to those who invent their own worship but to those who approach Him truthfully. The person who wants closeness to God should therefore reject false teaching, repent of known sin, trust in Christ, study Scripture, pray honestly, obey steadily, and associate with faithful Christians. These are not empty religious activities but the God-given means by which a human life is brought into harmony with Jehovah. Abraham was called God’s friend because his faith moved him to obedience, and the same pattern remains instructive for believers today. The invitation of James 4:8 still stands with full force: draw close to God, and He will draw close to you.
About the Author
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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