Putting God First

Putting God first causes us to draw close to Him. If we draw near to Him He will draw near to us.

There are some core points to keep in mind:

Closeness to God is intentional. You don’t drift into a deep relationship with God -you choose it daily.

God desires intimacy with us, it’s more than rituals, habits, or appearances of faith.

Drawing near to God changes you, not just how you feel, but how you live.

God always responds to pursuit. When we genuinely seek Him, He promises to draw near to us (James 4:8).

Obeying God matters. Loving God isn’t just emotional, it is shown through obedience and reverence.

The fear of the Lord is a deep reverence, awe, and respect for His power, holiness, and authority, not terror, leading to humble obedience, a hatred of evil, and a desire to live in alignment with His will, and recognizing His constant presence and judgment. It is the foundation of wisdom.

The fear of the Lord brings closeness, not distance.

Hearing God requires stillness and humility. God often speaks quietly, so listening means slowing down and being teachable. This is hard to do, because the world pushes busyness and distraction.

Sin and compromise dull our intimacy with God, even small compromises can weaken our sensitivity to God’s presence.

Our hunger for God must be cultivated. A hunger for God grows when we feed it -through prayer, scripture, and surrender.

Life is tough, but trials can deepen intimacy. Difficult seasons or times often become the moments where we grow closer to God.

I believe the key to drawing closer to God, is putting Him first. This requires making time for Him every day, not out of pressure, but desire. We must choose reverence, obedience, and humility. Letting our relationship with God be personal, not religious.