From Pity to Praise

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.

In Romans 11 Paul describes how non-Jewish believers in Jesus become part of God’s covenant people, like wild olive branches inserted into a cultivated olive tree (Israel ), sharing its root and nourishment, symbolizing unity and participation in God’s promises through faith in the Jewish Messiah, rather than through heritage.

I will share the way I learned this. Here are some key concepts of the grafting metaphor:

• The Tree: Represents Israel and God’s covenant people, with the root being in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and God’s promises.

• The Branches:

Natural branches = Jewish people (Israel)

Wild branches = Gentiles (non-jews).

• The Grafting: God, in His mercy, cut off some natural branches, (the unbelieving ), and grafted in wild branches (Gentiles who believed in Jesus).

• The Result: Gentiles now share in the Spiritual blessings, promises, and life-giving nourishment from the olive root, becoming spiritual heirs alongside believing Jews, united in Christ Jesus.
• The Warning: Gentile believers are warned not to become arrogant, because God’s kindness to them is conditional on their continued faith, and He has to power to graft the natural branches back in, if they return to faith.

This signifies a spiritual union of Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ.

It shows that the church is not replacing Israel but is part of God’s ongoing redemptive plan.

We receive life from the same divine source as Israel. It’s about spiritual inclusion, not ethnic conversion. Faith in Jeshs connects us to the root, not requiring us to become ethnically Jewish.

Life presents us with many challenges, but thankfully encouragement can be found at our fingertips. Reading the Bible might not change circumstances in the moment, but our strength can be renewed, and our attitude can be adjusted while we walk through our trials.

Isaiah 54:17 is one of my go-to verses, that sets me on the right track.

“No weapon that is formed against you will prevail, and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants, and their righteousness is of me, says the Lord.”

God made a powerful declaration and promise here. He is reminding us that His people are of His might and sovereignty, as well as His abiding love for them. This really echoes an assurance the Lord gave the young nation of Israel. “I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose those who oppose you” (Exodus 23:22).

Though it evokes images from an older age, this verse has meaning for us today in our struggles, whether small or large.

Simply put, God is stating that anyone who is seeking to do evil against His people will fail. Even though for a time it may seem that we are defeated, God assures us the victory.

God’s Word doesn’t promise His people a life free of problems. In fact from the very beginning, we will be dealt with a harsh journey, just as the Israelites did. No matter the journey through the desert, and the enemies we will encounter that want to destroy us, God will remain faithful to care for us.

Jesus stated plainly that “In this world you will have trouble, (John 16:33) and each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). But He also added reassurances that God is near and would be active in His children’s lives.

The truth is that everyone must handle all sorts of problems. And sometimes we find ourselves at odds with other people for one reason or another. Paul addressed the battles as “spiritual warfare.”

“ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” -Ephesians 6:12

But no matter what comes against us, seen or unseen, we can be able to stand when we lean into God’s grace.

This is what my Pastor sends every week to my church. It’s helps to keep us connected to God throughout the week.

Unresolved past issues, traumas, or hurts will keep surfacing in new situations and relationships, creating cycles of familiar pain or dysfunction until we consciously address and heal them.

It took me many years to learn this, but once I did my entire life changed. Before this I felt stuck, not moving forward.

This is a psychological concept that is linked to repetition compulsion, where our brains unconsciously recreate scenarios like repeating job issues or choosing a certain type of partner hoping to finally master or change the original painful outcome, but instead getting stuck in the same loop. Kind of like going around the same mountain over and over and expecting to get somewhere different.

Until you break the cycle nothing will change. To break the cycle we must engage in some self-reflection, honest communication, setting boundaries, and seeking support from someone to can help identify and resolve your core wounds.

There are many applications to this:

• Unresolved trauma: Childhood wounds or past rejection can lead to seeking similar dynamics to gain life or control. This concept is related to adverse childhood experiences.
• Relationship patterns: We can repeatedly find ourselves in emotionally unavailable relationships or conflict-ridden situations because we haven’t healed the underlying need or fear.

• Behavioral loops: Ingnoring bad habits or past mistakes can keep us stuck, breaking the cycle requires facing what needs fixing through self-awareness and action.

• The need for healing: The “repair” involves acknowledging the pain, understanding your role, setting new boundaries, and practicing self-love to interrupt old patterns and foster growth.

When repairing ourselves there are a few keys.

• Self-reflection: Look inward to identify your parts in the continuing cycle.

• Honest communication: Talk openly about issues to understand and validate experiences.
• Set boundaries: Establish healthy limits to prevent mistreatment in the future.

• Seek support: Find a pastor, counselor, mentor, or someone who will offer a safe place to heal deep wounds.
• Practice new behaviors: Consciously choose different actions and reactions to build new neural pathways.

It’s important to realize that this is not an easy task. I know many people who don’t continue because it’s a long process. I can tell you from experience it took me 4 years to break the cycle. But, once I accomplished it my life began to change.

Changing our brain patterns is hard because our brains prioritize efficiency and comfort, forming strong neutral habits through repetition. Like well-worn paths in a riverbed, it’s easier to use old roads rather than build new ones, especially with ingrained emotional responses and cognitive biases like fear of loss.

It feels like fighting your powerful automatic systems with your thinking brain it takes conscious effort to replace old reward loops with new ones, rather than just trying to stop the old habits.

This makes changing very difficult and most people are not willing to put in the work. But, if you can your life will improve dramatically.

True deep faith isn’t tested or built in easy times, but rather difficult, uncertain, or painful situations. The “darkness” fosters reliance on God, much like seeds grow underground before emerging into light, preparing us for greater purpose and strength.

It’s about trusting God’s character and unseen work during our struggles, not just understanding His plan, turning trials into transformation, and finding boldness through a deep connection with God.

It’s easy to trust when things are clear. But real faith emerges when we can’t see the next step, requiring reliance on God’s promises, not feelings.

Dark times aren’t punishment but an opportunity for God to mature us, reveal His light within, and prepare us for a future purpose.

Darkness isn’t the end it’s a temporary, necessary part of a cycle that leads to greater joy, understanding, and light, because darkness cannot ever overcome the light of Jesus.

Often in our darkest times, we find that in the most difficult days, we can face pivotal times that mark our lives and even our future.

If you’ve lived long enough, you may know what it is to struggle through deep loss, brokenness, and pain. Almost all of us have been there at some point along the way, and though our personal times of great darkness may look different, they always offer the greatest potential in our lives to change us. Because the person who walks out of the storm, out of the fiery trial, or straight out of the deep, is different than the one who first walked in.

We’re changed.

We’ve battled.

We’ve struggled.

We’ve wrestled with ourselves, with others, and even with God.

And yes maybe we still have some battle wounds.

Often it takes time to fully understand and begin to see how God will turn it all around for good and purpose. Because the dark times sometimes so deeply affect us. But through Jesus, we can have the assurance and hope that only He can give, knowing that He will indeed use dark days for an ultimate blessing in this life.

We may not see it as it is happening but we can fully trust that He will strengthen our faith, deepen our roots, and build greatness within us when the strong winds blow.

A few things I’ve learned along the way and I still am learning when difficult days come, and these truths that God gives us, so that we can rise above the difficult times. He reminds us not to be surprised when the fiery trials come. Though it may be hard, and of feelings might try to steer us in other direction, we have to be determined to keep walking in light and truth, refusing to listen to the enemy’s lies.

It is crucial to stay anchored deep in God , so we can grow stronger through any storm we face.

Here are a few things to keep in mind during dark times:

• Keep your eyes on Jesus.
• Fill your heart and mind daily with God’s Words.
• Talk to God and Pray His Words back to Him
• Remember that God Promises to bring purpose out of every hard place.
• Know that God loves you, He cares, and will never leave you on your own.

• Keep praising Him, even when you don’t feel like it.
• Choose Joy, find something to laugh about everyday.
• Choose to give to others during your dark days.
• Surround yourself with people who support you that you can trust.

• Remember you are only passing through. This is not your home.

Drawing near to God is not only a command but also a privilege. When we take deliberate steps to seek and commune with God, we position ourselves to enjoy the divine benefits that surpass anything the world can offer.

Many of us live beneath their spiritual potential because they don’t understand the blessings that come from an intimate relationship with God.

God’s presence transforms, and empowers our souls. There is no substitute for closeness with Him.

Drawing near isn’t a one-time act but a consistent lifestyle. I was listening to a study on “drawing near -intimacy with God,” by John Bevere today and he said something profound, “God is the only god who can communicate with you.” Think about that. But, many of us don’t give Him a chance to speak to us.

We have access to God’s heart. As we draw near God reveals His thoughts, plans, and secrets to us. In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, “Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know.”

There is growth in a relationship with God. Knowing God goes beyond salvation, it’s about continual intimacy and depth.

There is confidence in His presence. We gain the boldness to approach Him with our needs and burdens. Hebrews 4:16, “Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace,that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”

When we are close to God there is a sense of belonging. We no longer feel distant or rejected, but we know we are His children. Romans 8:15, “For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry Abba Father,”

Having an intimate relationship with God provides a renewed spiritual, emotional, and even physical strength. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.”

There is peace in God’s presence. Anxiety disappears in the presence of the “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.”

These are just a few benefits of having an intimate relationship with God.

The blessing of drawing near to God are both eternal and immediate. Intimacy with Him leads wisdom, power, rest, direction, and joy. It is in God’s presence that we are transformed into His likeness and equipped for life.

No matter your background or current spiritual state, the invitation to draw near remains open. You don’t need to be perfect to come close to God, you just need to be hungry for Him.