Draw Near to God: Bible Verses and Practical Ways to Get Closer to Him
- Karen O'Reilly
- Feb 27
- 9 min read
Updated: Mar 11
Have you ever wanted to draw near to God… but didn’t quite know how?
You love Him. You believe in Him. You read your Bible when you can. But some days, He feels distant.
Life gets loud. Responsibilities pile up. Your heart feels tired. And deep down, you long for something more than routine Christianity — you long for His presence.
If you’ve been searching for how to draw near to God or wondering what Scripture says about getting closer to Him, you are not alone.
The beautiful promise of Scripture is this:
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8
Draw Near To God
This scripture — “draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” James 4:8 — is one of the clearest invitations in the Bible.
It isn’t just a suggestion. It’s an invitation. And it's an invitation from God Almighty (El Shaddai) for you to come into His presence often, and all the time!
To draw near to God requires intention. It involves you making the decision to seek Him diligently and with discipline every day!
What Does It Mean to Draw Near to God?
To draw near to God doesn’t mean striving harder or becoming spiritually impressive.
It means turning your heart toward Him.
To draw near to God means choosing to be close to Him, making room for Him throughout your day, even when you are doing mundane tasks at home or at work.
To draw near to God means saying, “Lord, I want to knowYou.”
Drawing near is relational, not ritual. It’s not about performing for God — it’s about positioning your heart before Him.
James 4:8 continues with words about cleansing hands and purifying hearts.
Why?
Because nearness begins with humility. When we come before God honestly — not perfectly — God meets us there.
You don’t have to fix yourself before you approach Him. You simply come as you are.
Draw near to God, scriptures
When we look at Scripture, we see that God repeatedly invites us to draw closer to Him. See the Bible verses listed below:
Hebrews 4:16
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Notice the word confidence.
Because of Jesus, you don’t approach timidly. You don’t beg for access. The cross made a way. You are invited boldly into His presence.
Hebrews 10:22
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…”
Hebrews 10:22 assures us that we can draw near to God because Jesus has already made the way. Through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, the barrier of sin was removed once and for all. Our hearts have been cleansed, and our conscience no longer condemns us. We come to our Heavenly Father not on the basis of our performance, but in full assurance that the cross was enough.
Psalm 145:18
“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”
Psalm 145:18 says the Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth. You don’t need polished prayers—just a sincere heart. When you whisper His name in the middle of laundry, traffic, or tears, He is near, and He responds. Psalm 116 reminds us that God inclines His ear to us, which means He bends down to listen when we call.
Bible Verses About Getting Closer to God
If you’ve been searching for Bible verses about getting closer to God, let these settle into your heart.
Psalm 34:18
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18 reminds us that God’s nearness is not reserved for our strongest moments, but often revealed in our weakest ones. He does not withdraw when our hearts feel fragile; He draws closer. When your spirit feels heavy, and your strength feels small, the Lord is not standing at a distance — He is present, attentive, and ready to sustain you.
Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us that God is not hiding from you. He does not hide from those who truly desire Him. When we turn toward Him with a wholehearted pursuit, He promises that we will find Him. This is not uncertainty — it is a guarantee grounded in His faithful character.
Isaiah 55:6
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.”
Isaiah 55:6 reminds us that God is not distant or unreachable. He invites us to seek Him now, while our hearts are tender and aware of our need. His nearness is a gift — and seeking Him is the response that deepens it. Don’t wait for a “better” season. Draw near now.
Together, these verses reveal a beautiful truth: God moves toward the broken, reveals Himself to the seeking, and invites us to respond while He is near.
A Bible Verse About Connecting with God
If you’ve been craving closeness with God, His presence in the middle of ordinary life, take heart: connection with Him isn’t complicated. It begins with turning your attention toward Him and staying near. Even when your day feels rushed or your mind feels scattered, you can come back to Him and stay close with Him. Jesus described that steady, daily closeness like this:
John 15:4
“Abide in Me, and I in you.”
To abide means to remain. To dwell. To stay.
Connection with God is not about emotional highs. It’s about daily staying — returning again and again to Him. Abiding through Scripture. Abiding in prayer. Abiding in obedience. Abiding in surrender.
The more we remain in Him, the more we become aware that He has been with us all along, and we begin to exhibit the image of Christ!
How to Get Close to God: Bible-Based Practices
If you’ve been looking for how to get close to God, Bible verses consistently point us back to humility, prayer, and abiding. You need to get alone in the secret place with God in private.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 NKJV
Just you and God. The more you draw near to God, the more you will sense His closeness, His presence. If you don't hunger for time with God, you will not sense His presence.
So practically, how do we draw near to God?
Here are 4 simple, biblical ways to cultivate closeness to God (Yahweh).
1. Draw Near Through Repentance
James 4 reminds us that humility opens the door to intimacy. Confession doesn’t push God away — it brings you closer.
Repentance is simply turning from anything that has pulled your heart away from Him and returning to fellowship. It may be pride, distraction, bitterness, or quiet self-reliance. When we confess and turn back, we are not earning God’s nearness; we are responding to His invitation and clearing away what has clouded our communion with Him. And because of Christ, forgiveness is immediate and complete.
If you’d like help putting this into practice, at Scriptural Grace, I’ve created a prayer resource that guides you through 12 months of Scripture-based prayer points—including repentance, thanksgiving, and worship—shaped by the pattern Jesus gave us in the Lord’s Prayer.
2. Draw Near Through Prayer
Hebrews 4:16 teaches us to approach boldly. Speak to Him honestly. Tell God what weighs on you. Thank Him. Sit quietly before Him.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
The Bible also tells us to pray without ceasing:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. "1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
You have to talk to God every single day. I love to speak with Him throughout the day. I chat away to Him as I clean the house, drive in the car, and go for a walk around my neighbourhood. In all that you do, invite God into it. The one thing I need to work on better is actually sitting still in His presence and listening for His promptings in my heart or as I read scripture.
If you want to dive deeper into prayer, Scriptural Grace has numerous resources to help you do so. I will leave a link at the end of this post to explore all our articles on prayer, prayer journals, and digital resources.
Here is an easy-to-implement tip for you every morning!
As soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed, speak out loud Psalm 118:24
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Before your feet touch the floor, you are choosing perspective. You are declaring that this day belongs to the Lord — not to your worries or your workload. After you say the verse, thank Him for one specific thing about the day ahead. Even something small. Drawing near to God often begins with the first words you speak. When you begin your morning with Scripture, you turn your heart toward Him before anything else claims your attention.
3. Draw Near Through Abiding in His Word
John 15 shows us that fruit comes from remaining in God's word, the Bible. Even a few verses, slowly read and prayerfully considered, can anchor your soul. I am passionate about drawing people closer to God and reading His word through the many Bible studies at Scriptural Grace. There are many topical Bible reading plans and studies that may bless you as you seek to spend time in God's presence while reading and praying through scripture. I will leave all the links for you at the end of this post.
4. Draw Near Through Stillness
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Psalm 46:10 invites us to pause long enough to remember who God is: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness is often where our hearts stop striving and start listening. When you quiet the noise—even for a moment—and turn your focused attention to God, you become more aware of His presence, and that awareness leads to a deepening intimacy. You don’t need hours; you just need a few chosen moments to turn your attention back to Him.
Why Drawing Near to God Changes Everything
Drawing near to God is not complicated. The Bible verses about getting closer to God all point to one simple truth: He wants you near.
When you draw near to God, nothing around you may immediately change — but something within you does.
Nearness to God's presence shifts your perspective. The worries that once felt overwhelming are placed in the light of His sovereignty. The insecurities that whispered loudly begin to quiet in the presence of His truth. The striving that once exhausted you softens into rest.
Drawing near to God reminds you who He is — and who you are because you belong to Him. You are His precious child, and scripture has a lot to say about who God says you are (again, I have a wonderful blog post that explains all this - all links at the end of this post!)
When you come boldly to God because of Christ’s finished work on the cross, when you call on Him in the middle of ordinary moments, when you seek Him wholeheartedly and pause long enough to be still — you begin to live aware of His presence. And awareness changes everything.
Anxious thoughts lose some of their power. Decisions are made with greater clarity. Trials are faced with steadier hope. Even mundane tasks become sacred because you are no longer walking through them alone.
You can never be perfect; that is why God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to die on the cross. God did this because He is holy, yet He longs to have sweet fellowship with you.
And the beautiful promise woven through Scripture remains sure: when you draw near to God, He draws near to you as a Father welcoming His child close.
An invitation to draw near to God
If this invitation to draw near resonates deeply within you, perhaps the Lord is stirring you to go further. Intentional time in His Word and presence transforms longing into lived reality. And when you make room for Him, He faithfully meets you there.
That is why I created the Presence of God Bible Study — to help you cultivate simple, daily rhythms of drawing near to Him. It’s a 30 Day guide through Scripture, reflection, and prayer to help you become more aware of His presence in everyday life. There are bonus Bible study questions on each chapter, too (perfect for group Bible study!)
Ready to dig deeper?
Pick up your paperback copy from Amazon HERE
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Related Resources:
The next blog post in this mini series about drawing nearer to God is about prayers to draw near to God and you can read it HERE.
You might enjoy reading the Names of God HERE
If you prefer paperback➡️Pick up a copy of our Prayer Journal on Amazon
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Karen xx
