Seeking Jesus: How to Get Closer to God Right Now

Christians are always seeking Jesus as though he were a child who wandered away. Where is he? Why can’t I hear him? Shouldn’t I at least be able to feel his presence? Did he leave me?

It reminds me of a bizarre incident that happened in my hometown years back, when a little boy went missing. His parents searched high and low, calling his name with growing urgency and enlisting the help of neighbors and relatives. Before long, law enforcement was contacted and the search became public. 

They did eventually find the boy unharmed. Can you guess where? The little twerp was hiding in his home. 

That’s right. He was there the whole time.

Seeking Jesus, Yet Blind to His Presence

Are you seeking Jesus, looking for evidence that he’s present and active in your heart? Do you struggle with knowing how to get closer to God wherever he is, or how to feel God’s presence wherever you go?

Trauma and hardship can make God seem far away. Trouble at school, death in the family, a year where everything seems to be going wrong, an overall sense of loneliness and despondency…

That’s what happened to Mary Magdalene.

The truth was right in front of her, waiting to be seen.

According to the account in John 20, Mary Magdalene was the first to visit the tomb after Jesus’ death. Just days before, she’d watched him be executed in the most horrific method ever devised. Talk about trauma. So when she stood crying at the open tomb and Jesus showed up, she was so distraught she didn’t even recognize him. The latest events in her life blinded her to his presence. 

But the truth was right in front of her, waiting to be seen. And it’s no different for you.

Truth #1: If you’re a believer, Jesus is already in your life.

You don’t have to do anything at all to lure him into your life. He’s been there the whole time.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus speaking in Matthew 28:20

“‘My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips . . .from this time on and forever,’ says the Lord.”

Isaiah 59:21

“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Jesus speaking in John 14:20

He’s here, and he won’t leave just because you screw up or fail to reach a certain standard of Christianity. 

Truth #2: There’s nothing you have to do to make Jesus more present in your life.

You don’t have to ask Jesus to come into your heart or worry that he might get bored and leave. If you believe, he’s already there and that’s where he’ll stay.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Ephesians 3:16-17

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Romans 10:17

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13

He’s as fully with you in the noisy cafeteria as he is when you read your Bible in solitude. He’s there whether you’re on your knees in prayer or studying for a trigonometry exam. Yes, he’s even there in moments of sin (which, when you think about it, makes sin a lot less fun). 

His love and presence are not conditional upon you fulfilling specific requirements or reaching a certain level of spirituality.

Isn’t that comforting? In this world, we’re expected to perform, to meet certain expectations before good things happen, but not with Jesus. His love and presence are not conditional upon you fulfilling specific requirements or reaching a certain level of spirituality.

He’s been inside you the whole time. Believe it. 

But if you’re struggling with how to feel God’s presence in your life, it’s likely because—like the parents of the little boy in the opening story—you’re looking for him in all the wrong places.

Truth #3: Jesus isn’t found in feelings and signs.

When seeking Jesus, where do you expect to find him? Consider the following common ways humans attempt to identify God’s presence.

• (UN)ANSWERED PRAYER: “The Bible told me to pray boldly, but Jesus didn’t answer. Did he even hear me? I’ll believe he’s here when he answers my prayer.”
• THE ELUSIVE SIGN: “Come on, Jesus, show me a sign. Just one little miracle. Wow me like you wowed your disciples. Then I’ll know you’re active in my life.”
• A FEELING: “My best friend feels Jesus’ presence everywhere, but I feel nothing. There must be something wrong with me.” 
• THE SELF-HELP SECTION: “Maybe the library has a book about finding Jesus.”
• MOTHER-TERESA-WORTHY SERVICE: “I just swept the church basement, packed care packages for veterans, and spent an entire hour building crosses out of popsicle sticks with Mrs. Smith’s Sunday School class. Shouldn’t I feel closer to him?”
• LIFE: “Everything is spiraling out of control! How could I possibly believe Jesus is present when things are this bad?”

If only it were as easy as looking in the closet or under the bed, right?

Actually . . . this is closer to the truth than any of the above. The problem with the above methods of seeking Jesus is that all imply you have to DO something or FEEL something in order to be assured of Jesus’ presence.

THIS IS A LIE!

Jesus is right here, right now, regardless of what you’re doing or feeling. He dwells within the believer’s heart 24/7.

Becoming Aware of Jesus’ Presence

But sometimes spotting him can feel a bit like a real-live Where’s Waldo? puzzle. Do you see him in the chaos? Can you ignore the other distractions and pick him out?

All kinds of things cause us to not be able to clearly see the Jesus who wants to stand in front of us. Fear, worry, and an overflowing schedule are just a few. It’s possible to walk an entire life next to Jesus without truly recognizing and enjoying his presence. 

And what a shame!

How To Get Closer to God Today

That’s what everyone wants to know—how to get closer to God. But it’s not a matter of moving closer so much as it is taking the blinders off to the nearness that’s already there. Jesus wants you to enjoy his companionship and guidance. He wants to be seen by you. A life of conscious recognition of his proximity to you, however, takes some effort. Fortunately, the four steps to becoming more aware of Jesus’ presence will also help you get to know him better.

1) Show up and seek him!

Like any solid relationship, you must spend quality time with Jesus—on a regular basis. How would you like it if every time you wanted to hang out with your best friend she insisted on bringing her boyfriend, her boyfriend’s friend, her cousin, her grandma’s hairdresser, and her psychotic, broccoli-eating Siamese cat? 

Quality time is very intentional one-on-one with no distractions. Put away the electronics, your homework, your to-do list, and expect to find him. Then meet him in prayer and in his Word.

2) Shut up and listen! 

Are you friends with someone who likes to talk the whole time and rarely pauses for a breath? You probably know a lot about her—and doubt she knows as much about you. If you want to know Jesus, zip the lips and let him speak to you. If you can’t hear him, it may very well be that you’re too engrossed in your own concerns to notice him.

3) Open up and look! 

You won’t find Jesus in the closet or under your bed, but you might find the Bible you haven’t used in a while. Open it up and dive in. And while you’re at it, open your heart, too.

Those most aware of Jesus’ presence are the ones whose Bibles show the most wear from reading.

4) Believe!

He’s there, even when you don’t feel it. Is this beyond your comprehension? That’s okay. You don’t have to understand. There is a love and presence that defies all human logic and if you think too hard about it, you’ll miss out on the simplicity of it.

Jesus loves you, and he’s been here the whole time. Check out my post Seek the Lord and He Will Be Found By You. And for another thought-provoking article on seeking Jesus, check out What Does It Mean to Seek the Lord? from DesiringGod.