Lean In and Draw Close

Today we’re talking about something we all long for deep down — closeness with God. You know how when you’re in a crowded, noisy place, you lean in closer to hear someone you are having a conversation with? That’s what it looks like with the Lord.

Life is full of noise — responsibilities, worries, distractions — but in the middle of all that, we’re invited to lean in, to press closer, and to draw near to Him.

James 4:8 says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” It’s a promise — if we lean in, He meets us right there. We don’t have to have it all figured out or be perfect. All we need is a heart that says, “Lord, I want to be closer to You today than I was yesterday.”

So, as we walk through this together, let’s think about what it means to truly lean into His presence, His Word, and His love.

Have you ever had a toddler come up to you and whisper something into your ear?

A few things happen: you either understand them because they don’t know how to whisper, or you don’t, and you might have a very moist ear afterward because they don’t know how to whisper.

Learning to whisper is something that comes after being taught and then practiced. The same with leaning in and drawing close to God. As a new believer, you may not know where to start when it comes to your relationship with God, and that is ok.

The first and best thing you can do is read the Gospels and learn who Jesus is. In those Gospels, He teaches so much — including how to pray. With these examples, we learn better how to lean in and draw closer to God.

Just like a little one learning how to communicate and listen with us, we need to learn how to communicate and listen to God.

It is hard to feel the desire to sit and draw close to God when our minds are bombarded with all the life stuff, isn’t it?

I’m with you… there are a lot of times I find myself zoning out because I’m struggling to even do normal daily things since I just can’t connect with anything.

This should be where it’s obvious that we need to go to prayer and let God reset us and refresh us, but like I said, it’s hard.

So sometimes I just sit, and I wait, and I hope that eventually I’ll be ready because I’ve allowed myself to decompress so I can then focus a little better.

Maybe that’s all it takes — rest, decompression, and then we are able to refocus. Maybe, just maybe, this is why God tells us, and Jesus shows us, the importance of finding time away. Once we find that time, we will find it easier to draw close to God and allow Him to help us through.

Lean in and let the Lord sit with you while you rest.

So far we have talked about practicing, learning, and resting in the Lord. The best way we draw close to God is by learning to make it a daily habit to seek Him and what He has for us.

Sometimes at the end of the day I put my headphones in and listen to music or watch something on my phone. This is good and bad… good because I’m just taking some time, but bad for those in my house trying to get my attention and talk to me. I don’t even have those noise-canceling headphones — I’m just in my own space — but I often have to take my headphones out and say, “What?” This drives my husband crazy… but I won’t mention that when he wears his noise-canceling headphones how hard it is to get his attention….

Anyway… when we are distracted by the things in life and not really hearing or seeing what God has for us, it’s like me when I put my headphones on and my family is trying to talk to me. The communication is not going very well.

Leaning in and drawing close is all about connection, and if we aren’t connecting, then we can miss what God has for us.

James 4:8 says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

We all know what it’s like to start a new relationship with someone. There is a lot of talking, questions, and listening to learn all we can about them. We are very intentional to grow this relationship and grow close to them as well.

This is also how we draw close to God. We talk with Him, read about Him, and listen to Him.

Just as we learn to know who someone is and come to understand and trust their character, we should do the same when it comes to God. Draw close to Him by learning and knowing who He is. Get to know His character and how to trust and love Him.

As we walk as believers, let’s remember that walking with God is not about making a list and checking it twice. It’s about remembering how we feel and who we are in Him. It’s about seeking Him out in all things. It’s about repeating this process every day so that leaning in and drawing close to Him is something that we know we desperately need and something we know we can’t live without.

God wants us to draw close to Him because He has so much love for us, and like a parent, He wants that closeness with us so He can show us His love.

To be honest, I feel like I’m drawing close and leaning in when I'm with God but then I walk away not really feeling refilled or refreshed.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about that and wondering if I’m just faking it or what… what came of that was God pointing out to me in a few different ways that I was only kind of dialed in and really just going through the motions.

This happens from time to time, and it is good to be aware of it.

So, let’s talk about some ways we can move forward even in times of feeling stuck.

Leaning in and drawing close to God is not complicated. It is supposed to be so easy… just talking with the Lord.

Leaning in and drawing near to God isn’t about a Sunday morning checklist. It is all about relationship.

Just as much as He wants to know about you, He wants you to lean in and learn about Him, growing deeper and drawing closer to who He is.

Sometimes leaning in feels easy — like on a Sunday morning when the music is playing and your heart feels lifted. Other times, it’s a choice — when life feels heavy, when prayers feel unanswered, when it would be easier to pull back. But those are the moments when leaning in matters most.

James 4:8 says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

I want to leave you with this thought:

drawing close to God isn’t about checking off a spiritual to-do list. It’s about relationship. Just like any friendship or marriage, closeness grows through time spent together, honest conversations, and trust built day by day.

The beautiful promise is this: when we lean into God, He leans into us. His presence is constant, His love is steady, and He never pulls away.

So today, whatever you’re facing — the noise, the stress, the joy, or the quiet — take one step closer to Him. Whisper a prayer. Open His Word. Pause and invite Him into your moment. He’s right there, waiting to meet you.

When life gets loud, lean in — God is always closer than you think.