How to Get Closer to God

If you’re wondering how to get closer to God, you’re not alone—sometimes, it can feel super challenging. And the truth is, all of us could stand to improve our relationship with the Lord and draw nearer to Him. It’s a great spiritual goal for everyone!

Well, here’s some good news: The Bible is clear about several steps we can take to increase our faith by getting closer to God. And implementing them begins with small choices we can start making today. So, let’s talk about some of those steps and discuss how they can help us all become more of who God wants us to be.

How to Get Closer to God: 7 Ways

1. Read and study the Bible.

Up first on our list of the best ways to get closer to God is reading and studying the Bible. The more time we spend in the Word, the more we let its powerful truth transform our minds and draw us nearer to God. As John 8:31–32 (NKJV) says, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Notice how that passage doesn’t say “if you read My word every now and then” or “whenever it’s convenient.” Nope. We’re called to abide in God’s Word, which means we need to develop a consistent habit of staying engaged in Scripture. When we do that, our faith will grow powerfully.

2. Spend time in prayer.

Stop and think for a second about this question: What’s the best way to get closer to someone here on Earth? Chances are, one of two answers popped into your head—spending time with the person or simply talking to them. Well, both of those answers can also help us draw nearer to God, and we can do them both at the same time through prayer.

When we develop a consistent prayer life, we get to be in God’s presence while talking to Him. That time we spend will help us get closer to God and bring more peace into our lives. Yep, it’s true.

Take a look at what Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV) says about prayer: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Those verses let us know that when we pray, God calms our anxiety and guards us with His peace. That’s a promise we can take to the bank.

3. Attend a good church.

The Bible refers to the Church as Jesus’ bride, and that means you can’t have one without the other. Think about it: If you were throwing a big party, would you ever even consider inviting a friend but telling him to leave his wife at home? Of course not—that would be crazy! Well, we need to make sure we aren’t doing the same thing with God.

When we attend church consistently, worshiping God and hearing lessons from His Word, we naturally start to grow closer to Him. We also get to spend time around fellow Christians who can uplift us and encourage us in our walk with God, as Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV) reminds us:“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

So, be sure to find a good local church you can plug into by serving and (most importantly!) showing up.

4. Build a community of Christian friends.

Even when you’re not inside a church building, you still need to be around godly influences if you want to get closer to God. When you spend time around other Christians who share the same goals and values as you, it’s an encouragement that will build you up and deepen your relationship with the Lord.

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That’s what Proverbs 27:17 is all about. It says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (NIV). Here’s what that means: Our faith naturally gets sharper when we spend time with others who have a strong faith.

Making friends as an adult definitely isn’t easy, but it’s crucial to growing closer to God. Meeting and spending time with people at your church is a great place to start.

5. Be generous.

There’s something special that happens when we share our blessings with those around us. While the point of being generous is to serve others, we certainly benefit from our own acts of generosity as well.

As Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) tells us, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” No one is more generous than God, and practicing generosity helps us be like Him and get closer to Him.

6. Practice gratitude and contentment.

These days, it’s easy to find ourselves always wanting more. More money, more friends, more stuff, more . . . everything. And while material possessions aren’t always bad, it becomes a problem when we’re so focused on what we don’t have that we forget to be grateful for what we do have.

The truth is, God has blessed all of us with so much. And when we take time to be thankful for what we have, it helps us get closer to Him. It also helps us develop an attitude and spirit of contentment, which is super important. Just look at what 1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV) has to say about contentment: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

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7. Obey God.

You probably don’t need us to tell you that it’s important to listen to what God has to say. But there’s something more we can learn about obedience from 1 John 2:3–5. Here’s what the passage says: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (NKJV).

That passage tells us that following God’s commandments is about more than just honoring God—it’s how we come to know Him on a deeper level. That’s why adopting a humble spirit of obedience is one of the best ways to get closer to God.

The things God asks of us won’t always make sense, and they won’t always be what we want to do. But when we can surrender our will and put His first, we allow His love to be perfected in us, and we get to truly live in Him.