“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
In a world with countless demands for our time and attention, it can be challenging to focus on what truly matters: your relationship with God. You may feel like God seems distant and difficult to find when you’re busy and stressed. However, God promises that if you seek him with all your heart, you will definitely find him.
Seeking God with all your heart means to pursue God with everything you have – your thoughts, emotions, words, and actions. It’s about aligning your entire being with God’s purposes. This kind of seeking isn’t passive or half-hearted. Instead, it requires intentionality, persistence, and a willingness to surrender all other pursuits that may compete for your attention.
Here are some key ways to seek God wholeheartedly:
-Remove distractions and idols from your life. Don’t allow anything to take your attention away from wholeheartedly pursuing God. Get rid of all that is blocking you from devoting yourself fully to God. This could be a sin that you need to confess and repent of, an unhealthy habit that distracts you from God, or even good things that have taken a higher place in your life than they should.
-Prioritize God above all else in your life. Center your life around your relationship with God by doing your best to make decisions that reflect God’s wisdom in every part of your life. This involves devoting time in your schedule throughout every day to connect with God – no matter how long your “to-do” list is – because God is most important.
-Get to know God personally, rather than just knowing about God. It’s not just about checking off a spiritual to-do list; it’s about being in love with the One who created you. Connect with God relationally, not transactionally.
-Be willing to fully surrender to God’s will. In all situations, be willing to say along with Jesus: “… not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). This kind of surrender requires trust – believing that God’s plans are what’s truly best for you, even when you don’t understand what God is doing.
-Communicate with God often. Develop a consistent prayer life by setting aside specific times each day to talk to God. Remember that prayer is not just about asking God for what you want; it’s about building a relationship with God. Spend time regularly in silence and solitude so you can meditate on God’s Word without distractions. Allow what you read to shape your thoughts and actions. Consider memorizing verses that speak to your heart.
-Seek God in community. Surround yourself with other believers who can encourage, challenge, and support you as you seek God. Join a small group or Bible study and look for a spiritual mentor there. Also, look for opportunities to serve others and share God’s love in practical ways.
God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:13 is clear: if you seek him with all your heart, you will find him. God is not hiding from you; he is waiting for you to turn your heart fully toward him. When you seek God wholeheartedly, you will experience God’s presence in ways that transform your life and fill you with peace and joy.
Let’s pray:
Dear God, I want to know you more. Your Word promises that if I seek you with all my heart, I will find you. I confess that there have been times when I’ve allowed other pursuits to take my focus away from you. Please forgive me for not always prioritizing my relationship with you. God, I want to seek you wholeheartedly. Help me to remove anything in my life that is holding me back from pursuing you fully. Give me the strength to surrender my own plans so I can fully embrace your will for my life. Teach me to look for your wonderful work around me and to trust in your goodness. Wonderful Father, please give me the motivation I need to read your Word and communicate with you, no matter how busy I am. Let my heart be completely devoted to you, not just in church, but in every aspect of my life. Please reveal yourself to me in new and deeper ways so I can know you more and more each day. Thank you for the promise that I will find you when I seek you with all my heart. I hold onto that promise with gratitude. I love you, God. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©SWN
Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on X/Twitter.
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