Growing Deeper: Nurturing Intimacy with God

Why are you here? That is one of the larger questions that we must face. The ancient philosopher Socrates wrote that “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Part of what he was trying to say is that human beings are the sort of creatures that possess and need to make use of the ability to think critically about life and meaning. People are not like all other living creatures in the world that exist without thinking.

For all people – Christians and non-Christians, alike – the reason for our existence is God, the creator of heaven and earth. John Piper, a pastor and author has written about what he calls Christian hedonism, and he says our purpose for being is tied to God’s glory and our enjoyment of Him. He’s famously written that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

When our deepest delight and most constant joy is rooted in our enjoyment of God and fellowship with Him, that’s when we’re bringing the greatest glory to God even as He meets our innermost need.

It’s worthwhile asking yourself why you are here. Examining your life and reflecting on Scripture might yield the conclusion that nurturing intimacy with God should be one of our key concerns in life. After all, we can only fully enjoy and appreciate what we know.

Intimacy with God is like the intimacy we have with other people. Intimacy is about feeling close, being connected, and having a sense of treasured shared experience with someone. Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows us better than we could ever know ourselves, while Jeremiah 17:9-10 urges us to consider the truth that our hearts are deceitful, and only God can search our hearts and plumb their depths.

The storyline of the Bible is about a God who desires to bless humanity, but whom people constantly reject. Intimacy with God is about repenting of one’s sins, and drawing near to God in faith as He draws us to Himself through union with Christ.

God, the Father, sent God, the Son, to become a human being – Jesus of Nazareth – to keep the whole law for His people and suffer the punishment that their sins deserved. It is on this basis, alone, that through the power of God, the Holy Spirit, He transforms broken human beings into the image of His Son (Romans 5:1-8; Ephesians 2:1-10).

The free offer of the gospel remains open, and so intimacy with God is about whether we draw near to Him in repentance and faith. He is never far from us, and He desires for us to know Him and become His children.

How to nurture deeper intimacy with God

Prayer.

Though God knows us, we can be vulnerable with Him and share ourselves and our needs with Him. We can do this through prayer, which Jesus urges us to do (Matthew 6:5-15; 25-34). In prayer, we can tell God about our anxieties (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7), let Him know our pain (Psalms 13, 22), ask for help in times of trouble (Psalms 140), and more.

Reading Scripture.

We also get to know God more by reading the Bible. That’s where we see God’s story unfold, learn who God is, know what God desires for us, and understand ourselves better (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Pursuing fellowship.

To nurture deeper intimacy with God, we must also walk with other people who know Him. These people help us in our journey, just as we can help them. This mutual support system, known as the Church, is God’s design and intention for His people (Ephesians 2:14-22; Hebrews 10:19-25).

If you read the Bible, you’ll find many “one another” statements that can only be fulfilled if you’re in a meaningful relationship with other people.

• “Forgive one another” (Colossians 3:13)
• “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2)
• “Love one another deeply” (1 Peter 1:22)
• “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9)
• “Confess your sins to one each other and pray for each other” (James 5:16),
• “Submit to one another” (Ephesians 5:21)

These and many more exhortations only make sense in the context of meaningful community with others.

Obedience.

Lastly, we can grow deeper in intimacy with God by obeying what He says. Jesus once said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21, NIV).

To know God deeper requires that we trust Him and trusting Him means taking Him at His word. When God tells us about Himself, about who and what we are, about how the world works, and about what the good life looks like, He requires us to believe Him because of who He is. As we humbly submit to Him, we will find Him trustworthy.

Conclusion

God knows and loves you, and desires for you to know Him. Perhaps you struggle with intimacy, or past hurts and disappointments make it hard for you to trust God. Don’t sit with your questions; speak with someone like a pastor or a Christian counselor who can walk with you as you explore a deeper relationship and connection with God.