If you’ve been wondering how to get closer to God, you’re asking one of the most important questions a person can ask.
Maybe you believe in God but feel distant from Him. Maybe you pray but it feels like talking to the ceiling. Or maybe you just sense there’s something more to this relationship with God than what you’re currently experiencing.
Here’s what I want you to know: God isn’t distant or disappointed—He’s inviting you closer right now, exactly as you are. Getting closer to God isn’t about working harder or becoming more spiritual.
Scripture tells us something beautiful in James 4:8: “Draw closer to God, and he will draw near to you.” That’s a promise. You take one step toward Him, and He meets you right there.
It’s about showing up, one small step at a time, and learning what it means to walk with Him in your actual, everyday life. Let me show you some practical ways to start.
What “Getting Closer to God” Actually Means
Before we talk about how to get closer to God, let’s talk about what that even means—because I think a lot of us are chasing something we haven’t clearly defined.
When we talk about getting closer to God, we’re not talking about earning His approval or achieving some spiritual status. We’re talking about relationship. Real, daily, conversational relationship with the God who created you and loves you deeply.
Getting closer to God means:
- Talking to Him throughout your day like He’s actually there (because He is)
- Knowing His heart through His Word
- Experiencing His presence even in ordinary moments
- Trusting Him with your real thoughts and struggles
- Letting His love transform how you see yourself and your life
Sometimes closeness with God is quiet. Sometimes it’s just showing up on a hard day and knowing He’s there. Sometimes it’s peace that doesn’t make sense given your circumstances.
And here’s what closeness with God is NOT:
- Perfect quiet times every single morning
- Never having doubts or questions
- Feeling spiritual 24/7
- Knowing all the answers
- Having your life all together
God isn’t interested in your performance. He’s interested in you—the real you, exactly as you are right now.
Why You Might Feel Far from God (And What to Do About It)
Let’s talk honestly about why so many of us feel far from God, even when we genuinely want to be close to Him.
Life got busy, and faith got squeezed out.
This happens to almost everyone. You wake up with good intentions, but then work demands attention, relationships need tending, responsibilities pile up—and before you know it, you haven’t thought about God all day. When this becomes the pattern, distance grows. Not because God moved, but because we stopped making space.
The structure is gone.
Maybe when you lived at home, your parents made sure you went to church. Or maybe in college, you had a campus ministry group. But now? No one’s making you do anything. And while that freedom is good, it also means faith has to become yours—and you’re not entirely sure how to do that.
You’re trying to pray “perfectly” instead of honestly.
Somewhere along the way, you picked up the idea that prayer needs to sound a certain way—spiritual, eloquent, holy. So when you sit down to pray and all you can think is “God, I’m tired and I don’t even know what to say,” you feel like you’re doing it wrong. But that’s exactly the kind of prayer God wants to hear.
You’re comparing yourself to others who seem closer.
You see people who talk about hearing from God, who seem to have this intimate relationship, who post beautiful Scripture graphics and seem to have it all figured out. And you wonder why your faith doesn’t look like that. Here’s the truth: everybody’s struggling with something. Everyone is in process. Comparison steals your joy and makes you feel more distant than you actually are.
Guilt is blocking your connection.
Maybe you’ve messed up. Maybe you’ve walked away from God for a while. Maybe you keep falling into the same patterns. And now there’s this guilt sitting between you and Him, making you think you need to clean up your act before you can approach Him. But remember what Romans 5:8 tells us: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He loved you before you got it together. He loves you now, in the mess.
You don’t know what to actually DO.
This might be the biggest reason. You want to get closer to God, but when you sit down to try, you’re not sure what that means practically. Do you just read the Bible? Pray? For how long? About what? The how-to feels fuzzy, so you do nothing, and the distance grows.
Here’s the grace in all of this: God isn’t frustrated with you. He’s simply waiting for you to turn toward Him—questions, confusion, guilt and all. He can work with messy. He can work with uncertain. He just wants you to show up.
So let’s talk about how to actually do that.
Five Practical Ways to Get Closer to God Starting Today
These aren’t complicated spiritual disciplines that require hours of your day. These are simple, doable practices that will help you build real closeness with God—starting exactly where you are.
1. Talk to God Like He’s Actually There (Because He Is)
Prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to sound spiritual. It doesn’t have to be long. Prayer is simply talking to God—and that conversation can happen anywhere, anytime, about anything.
Biblical Foundation:
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Notice it says “in every situation.” Not just in your designated quiet time. Not just when things are bad. Not just about big spiritual matters. Every situation. That’s how accessible prayer is meant to be.
Jesus also taught us about prayer in Matthew 6:6: “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
This isn’t about the physical room—it’s about intimacy. Personal relationship between you and God.
Here’s How to Start:
Begin with one honest sentence. That’s it. Not a long, elaborate prayer. Just one true sentence.
“God, I’m anxious about this meeting today.” “I don’t even feel like praying right now, but I’m here.” “Thank you for coffee and sunshine.” “I don’t know what to do about this relationship.” “Help me get through this day.”
Start there. Then build on it as you get more comfortable. Tell Him about your day. Ask Him for help with specific things. Thank Him for what’s good. Confess what’s hard. Just talk.
What This Looks Like in Real Life:
- Morning: “God, I don’t want to get out of bed, but thank you for a new day. Help me show up well.”
- Commute: Use this time to pray instead of creating worst case scenarios in your mind
- Throughout the day: Quick conversations. “Help me with this conversation.” “Thank you for that encouragement.”
- Before bed: “God, here’s what was hard today. Here’s what was good. I’m grateful you were with me.”
You’re not trying to have hour-long prayer sessions (though those are beautiful when they happen). You’re building a conversation that continues throughout your day.
When Prayer Feels Like Talking to the Ceiling:
Sometimes you’ll pray and feel nothing. That’s normal. Keep going. Prayer isn’t about the feeling—it’s about the relationship. You’re showing up. You’re turning your attention to Him. That matters more than the emotional experience.
And remember: prayer is conversation, which means listening matters too. After you talk to God, take a few moments to be quiet. Sometimes He speaks through a thought, a Bible verse that comes to mind, a sense of peace, or simply His presence.
2. Read the Bible to Know Him (Not Just to Check a Box)
The Holy Bible isn’t a textbook or a rule book. It’s God’s Word—His way of revealing Himself to you. When you read Scripture, you’re learning who God is, how He works, what He cares about, and how much He loves you.
Biblical Foundation:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
God-breathed. This is His voice, His heart, His truth preserved for you. And it’s not just useful for checking off a religious to-do list—it actually equips you for life.
Jesus Christ Himself said in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Holding to His teaching—staying in His Word—brings freedom. It changes how you think, how you see yourself, how you navigate life.
Here’s How to Start:
Start small and simple. Don’t try to read five chapters a day if you’ve never read the Bible consistently. That’s like trying to run a marathon when you haven’t been running at all.
Instead, try this:
- Pick a place to start. The book of John is excellent for beginners. It’s one of the four Gospels (the books that tell about Jesus’s life), and it’s written specifically to help people know who Jesus is.
- Read one passage. Not a whole chapter if that feels overwhelming. Even just a few verses.
- Ask one question: “What does this show me about God?” or “How does this apply to my life today?”
- Write it down or think about it. Journal if that helps, or just pause and let it sink in.
That’s it. Five minutes. One passage. One question. That’s enough to start building the habit.
What This Looks Like in Real Life:
- Morning with coffee: Read a few verses before you scroll social media
- Lunch break: Five minutes with your Bible app instead of news
- Before bed: End your day with Scripture instead of Netflix
The key isn’t massive amounts of time—it’s consistency. Five minutes a day, every day, will do more for your relationship with God than reading for an hour once a month.
Permission: You don’t have to understand everything you read. The Bible was written thousands of years ago in different cultures, so some things will feel confusing. That’s okay. Focus on what you do understand, and ask God to teach you as you go.
When the Bible Feels Confusing or Boring:
First, that’s normal, especially at the beginning. Some books of the Bible are easier to understand than others. If you’re getting stuck, try a different book. The Psalms are beautiful prayers. The book of James is incredibly practical. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) tell the story of Jesus.
Second, try a different translation. Some Bible translations are easier to read than others. The NIV, NLT, and ESV are all great for readability.
Third, use a reading plan. Many Bible apps have reading plans that give you a little bit each day and help you understand context.
And remember: you’re not trying to become a Bible scholar. You’re trying to know God. Even reading one verse and asking “What is God showing me here?” is valuable time in His Word. Bible reading is one of the most powerful ways to experience spiritual growth in your daily life.
3. Show Up Consistently (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)
Here’s a truth that will change your relationship with God: consistency matters more than intensity.
It’s better to spend five minutes with God every single day than to have one hour-long emotional experience once a month. Closeness is built through regular, repeated contact—just like any relationship.
Biblical Foundation:
James 1:22-25 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intenly into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
Notice that word: continues. Continues in it. Shows up. Doesn’t just have one good moment and walk away.
And Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to give up “meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” This applies to our personal time with God too. We can’t let it become a habit not to show up.
Here’s How to Start:
Pick a time and place, and show up there consistently. Your brain loves patterns, and when you do the same thing at the same time in the same place, it becomes automatic.
Some ideas:
- Morning before anything else: Before you check your phone, before you turn on the news, spend five minutes with God
- Lunch break: Set an alarm. When it goes off, step away for a few minutes of prayer or Bible reading
- Before bed: End your day by talking to God about what happened
The time doesn’t matter as much as the consistency. Pick what works for your life and commit to showing up there.
What This Looks Like in Real Life:
Let’s say you choose mornings. Set your alarm five minutes earlier. Before you do anything else, before your mind fills with the day’s demands, spend those five minutes with God. Read a few verses. Pray. Sit quietly in His presence.
Will you feel like it every day? Absolutely not. Some days you’ll want to hit snooze and skip it. But here’s the thing: growth happens when you show up even when you don’t feel like it.
Think about it this way: you brush your teeth whether you feel like it or not, because you know it matters for your health. Your spiritual life works the same way. Feelings come and go. Discipline builds the relationship.
Permission: Missing a day doesn’t erase your progress. You’re not starting over at zero every time you mess up. God’s grace covers the days you miss. Just come back the next day and keep going.
When Life Disrupts Your Routine:
It will. Your schedule will change. You’ll have sick days, travel, unexpected disruptions. When that happens, give yourself grace—and adapt.
If you can’t do your normal routine, do a shorter version. Can’t do five minutes? Do two. Can’t read a full passage? Read one verse. Can’t sit down? Pray while you’re getting ready.
The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is connection. And God will meet you wherever you show up.
4. Be Honest About Where You Are (God Can Handle It)
One of the fastest ways to build closeness with God is to drop the pretense and just be real with Him. He already knows everything—your thoughts, your struggles, your doubts, your failures. Trying to hide or clean up first just keeps you at a distance.
Biblical Foundation:
Psalm 139:1-4 says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”
He already knows. You can’t surprise Him. You can’t disappoint Him with something He didn’t already see coming. He knows the whole truth—so why not just tell Him?
And 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession doesn’t push God away. It actually draws you closer because it’s honest. It’s vulnerable. It’s real.
Here’s How to Start:
Just tell God the truth.
“God, I’m struggling with this and I don’t know what to do.” “I’m angry about what happened and I need your help processing it.” “I don’t even want to pray right now, but I’m here anyway.” “I messed up again and I feel terrible.” “I have doubts about whether you’re really listening.”
Say it out loud or write it in a journal. Don’t try to make it sound spiritual. Just be honest.
What This Looks Like in Real Life:
Maybe you’re dealing with anxiety that won’t let go. Instead of pretending you’re fine in your prayers, tell God: “I’m anxious about this situation and I can’t make it stop. Help me trust you even when I’m scared.”
Maybe you fell into a pattern you’re not proud of. Instead of avoiding God because of shame, bring it to Him: “I did it again. I feel terrible. I know this isn’t what you want for me. Please forgive me and help me choose differently next time.”
Maybe you’re going through something hard and you’re angry. Tell Him: “God, this isn’t fair and I’m angry about it. I need you to help me through this because I can’t do it alone.”
Honesty like this doesn’t push God away—it invites Him in. He can work with honest. He can work with messy. What He can’t work with is pretense and distance.
Permission: Honesty is better than fake spirituality. God would rather hear your real, messy prayers than your carefully crafted religious ones.
When You Feel Too Messy for God:
Here’s what you need to remember: Jesus didn’t come for people who had it all together. He came for people who were broken, messy, and in need of grace. Over and over in the Gospels, we see Him welcoming the outcasts, the sinners, the struggling—the people who knew they needed help.
If you feel too messy for God, you’re actually in the perfect position to experience His love. Come as you are. He’ll meet you there.
5. Walk This Out in Community (You’re Not Meant to Do This Alone)
This one might feel optional, but it’s not. God designed us for community, and your relationship with Him will grow closer when you’re connected with other believers.
Biblical Foundation:
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “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.”
Meeting together. Encouraging one another. Spurring each other on. This isn’t just about going to church (though that matters too). This is about doing life with other people who are also trying to follow God.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 puts it beautifully: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
You need people. People who will pray for you, encourage you, ask you hard questions, and remind you of truth when you forget.
Here’s How to Start:
Start small. You don’t need a huge network. You just need one or two people who are also trying to grow in their faith.
Some ideas:
- Find a church. If you’re not currently attending anywhere, start looking. Look for a church that teaches the Bible clearly, emphasizes grace, and has people your age. Church services provide not only teaching but also opportunities to experience worship music and God’s presence in community.
- Join a small group. Most churches have small groups or Bible studies. This is where real community happens—not in the Sunday service, but in smaller, more personal settings.
- Find one accountability partner. Even if you can’t find a group, find one person. Text each other about what you’re learning. Pray for each other. Share struggles.
- Look online. If in-person community is hard to find, there are online communities of believers. While it’s not a replacement for in-person connection, it’s better than nothing.
What This Looks Like in Real Life:
Maybe you join a small group at a local church that meets every other Wednesday. You show up. You listen. You share (even when it’s uncomfortable). You pray together. You text each other during the week.
Maybe you ask a co-worker who seems to have a real faith if she’d be willing to meet for coffee once a month and talk about what you’re learning.
Maybe you reconnect with a friend from college who’s also trying to grow spiritually, and you commit to checking in weekly.
Community doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re all in process. The point is that you’re not alone.
Permission: Community doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to find the ideal group or the perfect church. Just find people who love Jesus and want to grow. Start there.
When You Can’t Find Community:
Sometimes finding community is genuinely hard. Maybe you’re in a season where in-person connection isn’t possible. Maybe you’ve tried several churches and haven’t found a fit. Maybe you’re in a small town with limited options.
If that’s you, don’t give up. Keep looking, but also look for community in different places. Online Bible studies. Christian podcasts and blogs (like this one). Even just one friend who’s on the same journey.
And remember: your primary relationship is with God Himself. Community supports that relationship, but it doesn’t replace it. Keep showing up with God even while you’re searching for community, and trust that He’ll bring the right people at the right time.
How to Get Closer to God When You’re Too Busy or Overwhelmed
Here’s something important I need you to hear: you can do everything I’ve just outlined—pray consistently, read your Bible, show up daily, be honest, find community—and still feel distant from God sometimes.
And that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
Feelings are real, but they’re not always reliable. Closeness with God isn’t primarily about how you feel. It’s about the reality of His presence with you, whether you feel it or not.
Think about any close relationship in your life. Do you always feel close to that person? No. Some days you feel connected. Some days you just go through the motions. But the relationship itself—the commitment, the history, the love—that doesn’t change based on your feelings.
It’s the same with God.
Sometimes seasons are just dry. You’re doing everything right, but it feels empty. The Psalms are full of this experience. David writes over and over about feeling far from God, crying out to God, wondering where God is. And yet, David is called “a man after God’s own heart.”
If you’re in a dry season, here’s what you do: keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep reading. Keep talking to God honestly about how you feel. And trust that He’s there even when you don’t feel Him.
Growth happens even when you can’t see it. Just like a seed growing underground, your relationship with God is deepening even when you can’t perceive it. Every prayer matters. Every moment in His Word counts. Every time you choose obedience, you’re growing—whether you feel it or not.
Biblical truth is more reliable than your emotions. When feelings tell you God is far away, Scripture tells you the truth: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). When you feel distant, remind yourself of what you know to be true, not what you feel in the moment.
God is faithful even when you’re not. Here’s the beauty of grace: your relationship with God isn’t dependent on your perfect performance. It’s dependent on His faithfulness. You’ll have good days and bad days. You’ll have seasons where you’re growing like crazy and seasons where you’re barely hanging on. He’s with you through all of it.
As 2 Timothy 2:13 promises, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
Your feelings of distance don’t change His proximity. He’s right there, even when you can’t feel Him.
Start Where You Are Today
If you’ve made it this far, here’s what I want you to do: don’t try to implement everything at once.
Pick one of these five practices. Not all five—just one. The one that resonates most with you or the one you think you could actually start doing today.
Maybe it’s:
- One honest prayer when you wake up tomorrow
- Five minutes reading the book of John
- Setting a time each day to show up with God
- Writing out a prayer telling God exactly where you are
- Reaching out to one person about doing this journey together
Start there. Do that one thing consistently. And as it becomes part of your rhythm, add another.
You don’t have to do this perfectly. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin. God meets you right where you are—and every single step toward Him counts.
Remember what James 4:8 promises: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
You take one step. He meets you there.
That’s how you get closer to God. Not through perfection, but through showing up—honest, imperfect, trying. One step at a time. One day at a time. Learning to walk with Him in the middle of your real, messy, beautiful life.
You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re in progress—seeking what’s true.
And God isn’t frustrated with you. He’s not waiting for you to get it together. He’s simply waiting for you to turn toward Him so He can show you just how close He’s been all along.
As you seek God with your whole heart in your everyday life, may you discover the deeper relationship He’s been waiting to give you. May the Holy Spirit guide you into all the blessings that come from walking closely with Him, and may you experience the divine presence that transforms ordinary moments into encounters with eternal love. God bless you on this journey.
Let’s Walk This Together
You don’t have to figure this out alone. We’re all in progress here—learning to get closer to God, one honest step at a time.
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Praying for you,
Katie
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- How to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say
- What Does Following God Actually Look Like?
- Bible Reading for Beginners: Where to Start
- When You Feel Like You’re Failing at Faith
- Start Here If You Want to Grow in Your Faith
