The sun peeked over the horizon, its golden rays filtering through the curtains of Fancie’s bedroom window.
She stirred, blinking the sleep from her eyes. As her mind became alert, a familiar longing stirred within her heart.
The words echoed like a divine whisper:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
biblegateway.com
Fancie recognized that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking the promise from Jeremiah 29:13. It was a call she couldn’t ignore, a magnetic pull drawing her closer to the heart of God.
With a deep breath, she slipped out of bed and knelt beside it, opening her weathered Bible. The pages crackled with wisdom waiting to be unlocked by the key of her undivided attention and desire.
Seeking God was to be the top priority, the singular pursuit that would align every other aspect of her life.
As Fancie plunged into Scripture’s treasures, she realized that seeking God wholeheartedly wasn’t just a ritualistic exercise.
It was an intimate journey of knowing her Creator more deeply, allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal His heart and ways to her.
God longs for us to experience Him, not just learn about Him through knowledge accumulated like dust on a shelf.
The pages seemed to come alive with stories of God’s people desperately pursuing Him through life’s trials and joys.
Fancie realized that she too was called to this sacred chase, this hunger for deeper intimacy that would shape her priorities and satisfy her soul’s deepest thirst.
The Call to Seek God
In Psalm 105:4 ESV, we read:
“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
biblegateway.com
Isaiah 55:6 ESV says:
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near”
biblegateway.com
The author of Hebrews 11:6 NIV wrote:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
biblegateway.com
It is clear from these and many other verses that we are called to seek the Lord. But what does it mean to seek God?
Seeking God is not the same as just seeking things from Him. It’s not listing requests for God to grant or treating Him like a genie who exists just to serve you.
True seeking goes much deeper than that.
To seek God means to pursue knowing Him. It means nurturing intimacy with Him through prayer, studying the Bible, and listening for His voice.
It involves observing how He works so you can draw nearer to Him.
Seeking God means making your relationship with Him the ultimate priority, not just trying to get things from Him.
The Lord wants you to know Him personally and deeply and He says in Jeremiah 29:13 NIV:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
biblegateway.com
Half-hearted seeking yields half-hearted results. God wants your whole heart set upon knowing and loving Him.
What Seeking God Requires
Seeking God with your whole heart is not always easy. It requires focus, sacrifice, and perseverance.
What exactly does wholehearted seeking look like?
1. You must seek God diligently. Proverbs 8:17 NKJV says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.” To seek Him diligently means you are willing to work at it, setting aside other things and making your relationship with God a priority. Diligent seeking is active and persistent.
2. You must seek God continually. In Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV, God says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” For this reason, you need to depend on God’s wisdom at all times, not just when you feel like it. To seek Him continually means bringing everything in your life under His guidance through prayer.
3. You must seek God with your whole heart. God told Israel in Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Half-hearted seeking yields half-hearted results. You demonstrate wholehearted seeking by making God your top priority in everything, the One you love and desire above all else.
4. You must seek God humbly. As Psalm 10:4 NIV says, “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Pride blocks intimacy with God. You must come before Him realizing you desperately need Him.
5. You must seek God above all else. In Matthew 6:33 NIV, Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” God wants to be first, not just one priority among many. Everything else must come after seeking Him.
Wholehearted seeking requires commitment, intentionality, and perseverance. But the rewards are infinitely worth it.
When Should Unbelievers Seek God?
Not only are believers called to seek God, but unbelievers desperately need to as well. Their very eternal destiny depends on it. But when should they start seeking Him?
Isaiah 55:6-7 NIV provides insight:
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”
biblegateway.com
The time to seek God is while He may still be found.
If unbelievers continually reject God’s conviction and harden their hearts, they may reach a point where they no longer sense Him drawing near.
While God is still working in their lives, they need to turn to Him.
Unbelievers should also seek God while He is near. They must respond when they sense the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
His nearness may be that inner restlessness, those questions about life’s meaning, a sense of God’s presence around them.
When God seems near, they need to seek Him wholeheartedly.
Now is the time for unbelievers to seek God, turn from sin, and surrender their lives to Christ. They may not always have that opportunity.
9 Blessings of Seeking God First
Why should believers make seeking God a priority? What do we gain from pursuing wholehearted intimacy with Him?
Scripture points to some amazing blessings and rewards:
- You’ll find God and discover His heart when you seek Him wholeheartedly (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13).
- God draws near to you when you draw near to Him (James 4:8). Closeness with God is itself the reward.
- You’ll gain discernment through His wisdom guiding your life continually (Psalm 32:8, Isaiah 30:21).
- He satisfies the deep longings of your soul (Psalm 63:1, Isaiah 55:1-2).
- You’ll receive eternal life by believing in Christ (John 3:16, 17:3). Knowing God is eternal life.
- He works all things together for your good when you follow and obey Him (Romans 8:28).
- You’ll find meaning, purpose, joy, and fulfillment in your relationship with your Creator.
- You’ll store up eternal treasures rather than chasing earthly rewards (Matthew 6:19-21).
- You’ll align your plans with God’s perfect will for your life (Romans 12:2).
James 4:8 (NIV) promises:
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
biblegateway.com
You’ll receive immeasurably more than you could imagine when you prioritize intimacy with God above all else.
Key Takeaways:
- Seeking God means making your relationship with Him the priority, not just seeking things from Him.
- You must seek God with your whole heart, diligently, and continually.
- Unbelievers need to seek God now, while He may still be found.
- Intimacy with God should be the top priority for every believer.
- There are rich rewards and blessings for those who seek God first.
Conclusion
Your relationship with the Lord should be the top priority. As Charles Spurgeon said:
“To know God is at once the happiest and the holiest occupation for a human being.”
Let’s respond to God’s repeated call throughout Scripture to wholeheartedly seek Him, continually pursuing deeper intimacy with Him.
There is no greater reward than knowing and loving God.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does it mean to seek God?
A. Seeking God means pursuing an intimate relationship with Him, not just seeking things from Him.
It involves an active commitment to know God deeply through prayer, Bible study, obedience, and listening for His voice.
Q. Why should I seek God if I’m already saved?
A. Even after salvation, God wants you to keep deepening your relationship with Him.
He has so much more for you to discover about His love and character. Seeking God is a journey of lifelong growth in Him.
Q. How do I know if I’m seeking God wholeheartedly?
A. Indicators that you are seeking God with your whole heart include consistently spending time in prayer and Scripture, making sacrifices to prioritize God, and viewing intimacy with Him as your greatest reward.
Ask God to search your heart and show you the areas He wants you to grow.
Q. What if I don’t feel God’s presence when I seek Him?
A. Our feelings can fluctuate, but God promises we will find Him when we seek wholeheartedly.
Be patient and persistent. Seeking is the means to greater intimacy. Ask God to give you a hunger for Him.
Q. What’s the most important thing about seeking God?
A. The purpose is not seeking blessings from God, but seeking God Himself. It’s about nurturing a close relationship with Him.
Seek the Giver, not just the gifts. Everything else flows out of intimacy with Him.
