What does the Bible say about seeking God?
If you’ve ever had someone you love die, you know the hole it left in your heart. You miss hearing their voice and the way they expressed themselves. Perhaps what they said to you inspired you to make certain choices for your life. The way you cherish that lost relationship and the other relationships in your life is a window into how God made you. As humans, he made us desire not only meaningful connections with people, but with God Himself. You may wonder how you can have a meaningful relationship with God. How do you spend time with Him? What exactly does the Bible say about seeking God?
Christian quotes about seeking God
“The seeking of the kingdom of God is the chief business of the Christian life.” Jonathan Edwards
“He who begins by seeking God within himself may end by confusing himself with God.” B.B. Warfield
“If you’re sincerely seeking God, God will make His existence evident to you.” William Lane Craig
“Seek God. Trust God. Praise God.”
“If God exists, not seeking God must be the gravest error imaginable. If one decides to sincerely seek for God and doesn’t find God, the lost effort is negligible in comparison to what is at risk in not seeking God in the first place.” Blaise Pascal
What does it mean to seek God?
These are tumultuous times. There are many voices telling you what to do and how to live. Who should you listen to? If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, God should have first place in your life. He should be the one who interprets all the other voices you hear. Seeking God means spending time with Him. It means making your relationship with Him your first priority. God is the one you can seek in the midst of a chaotic world.
Matthew 6:31-33 ESV, says it like this, Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Seeking God is not a one-time thing you do, but a continuous way of life. You focus on Him, keeping Him first in your life. It’s a command that God gives his people, because He knows they need Him.
Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. ( I Chronicles 22:19 ESV)
1. Psalm 105:4 (NIV) “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
2. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
3. Psalm 27:8 (KJV) “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.”
4. Amos 5:6 “Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.”
5. Psalm 24:3-6 (NASB) “Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 One who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to deceit And has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He will receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob.”
6. James 4:8 (NLT) “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”
7. Psalm 27:4 “One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.”
8. 1 Chronicles 22:19 “Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD.”
9. Psalm 14:2 “The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.”
How do I seek God?
Seeking God means you want to spend time withHim. You seek God in three ways: in prayer and meditation, reading scripture, and fellowshipping with other Christians. As you seek God, every part of your life is filtered through these three things.
Prayer
Prayer is communicating with God. Like any relationship, communicating with God involves different types of conversations. When you’re praying, you can include these different types of conversations with God.
- Thanking and praising God-This is acknowledging who He is and what He’s done in your life. It’s giving him glory and being thankful.
- Confession your sins-When you confess your sins, God promises to forgive you. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ESV.
- Praying for your needs-You have needs, and God wants to provide for you. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, saying,
Father, hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation. Luke 11: 2-5 ESV.
- Praying for others’ needs- Praying for the needs of others is a privilege and something God asks us to do.
Meditation
Blessed is the man (or woman) who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 ESV.
If you’ve ever had a moment where you kept thinking about a particular Bible verse, mulling it over in your mind, you have meditated on Scripture. Biblical meditation, unlike other forms of meditation, isn’t to empty or calm your mind. The purpose of biblical meditation is to reflect on a scripture’s meaning. It’s chewing on a verse to get deeper meaning and asking the Holy Spirit to give you insights you can apply to your life.
Reading scripture
Scripture is more than just words. It’s God’s spoken word to you. In Paul’s second pastoral letter to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV.
Apostle Paul was an influential leader of the early Christian church. When he wrote this letter, he was waiting for execution. Even though he was facing imminent death, he wanted to remind Timothy of the importance of scripture. Daily scripture reading helps you to:
- Know the way of salvation
- Know how to love God
- Know how to live your life as a follower of Christ
- Know how to relate to other believers and non-believers
- Find comfort in hard times
Fellowship with other Christians
You also seek God through your fellowship with other Christians. As you serve alongside other believers in your local church, you experience the presence of God working in and through them. Your view of God and his kingdom expands.
10. Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
11. Colossians 3:1-2 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
12. Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
13. Psalm 34:12-16 “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.”
14. Psalm 24:4-6 “The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.”
15. 2 Chronicles 15:1-3 “Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.”
16. Psalm 1:1-2 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
17. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing.”
18. Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – (Why Jesus is God)
Why is seeking God important?
Gardeners know plants need sunlight, good soil and water to flourish. Like plants, Christians need to spend time with God by reading scripture, praying, and meditating to grow and flourish. Seeking God not only helps you grow stronger in your faith, but it anchors you against the storms of life you’ll face, and gets you through the everyday challenging experiences. Life is hard. Seeking God is like oxygen to get you through life, and enjoy God’s presence along the way.
19. John 17:3 (ESV) “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
20. Job 8:5-6 (NKJV) “If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, 6 If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place.”
21. Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”
22. John 7:37 “On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”
23. Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
24. Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
25. Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.”
26. Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
27. Psalm 70:4 “May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “Let God be magnified!”
28. Acts 10:43 “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
Seeking God during difficult times
God is always working in your life both in the good times and in bad times. In your most difficult times, it may tempt you to wonder where God is and if He cares about you. Seeking Him during these difficult times can be a means of grace and strength for you.
Psalm 34:17-18 describes God’s demeanor towards us when we seek Him for help. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
When you’re going through a hard time, it may be difficult to seek God. Perhaps you have a broken heart, or you feel crushed in your spirit. Like the Psalmist, you can seek God even with your crying and messy tears. Scripture promises God hears you. He wants to deliver you, He’s near you and He desires to save the crushed in spirit.
29. Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
30. Psalm 40:16 “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!”
31. Psalm 34:17-18 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
32. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith, not by sight.” – (Is there proof that God is real?)
33. James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
34. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
35. Psalm 56:8 (NLT) “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
36. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
37. Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
What does it mean to seek God’s face?
Scripture tells us that God is spirit. He doesn’t have a body like a human. But when you read scripture, you come across verses that mention God’s hands, feet, or face. Though God doesn’t possess a body, these verses help us visualize God and understand how He works in the world. Seeking God’s face means you have access to Him. It’s getting into his presence, looking to Him to speak words of life. God is always with his children. He promises to work for you, help you and stand with you throughout your life.
In Matthew, Jesus encourages His disciples with this promise, and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 ESV.
38. 1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.”
39. Psalm 24:6 “Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.”
40. Matthew 5:8 (ESV) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
41. Psalm 63:1-3 “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
42. Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
43. Psalm 27:8 “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
Seeking first the Kingdom of God meaning
Seeking God’s kingdom is seeking that which God views as important. It’s seeking eternal things rather than the temporary things of the world. You’re less concerned about material things because you trust God to provide you with what you need. When you’re seeking God’s kingdom, you want to live in a way that pleases Him. You are willing to change where you need to change. You’re also willing to step out in ways you might not have done before.
If you have put your faith and trust in Jesus’ complete work on the cross for you, you are God’s child. Taking part in kingdom activities won’t earn your favor with God, but these things will be a natural overflow of your love for God. As you seek God’s kingdom, you’ll find yourself wanting to do the things that God sees as important, such as
- Sharing the gospel with the people around you
- Praying for someone even if they’ve been unkind to you
- Giving money to your church for missions
- Fasting and praying
- Sacrificing your time to help a fellow believer
44. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
45. Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
46. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Seeking God with all your heart
Perhaps when you were young, your parents asked you to take out the trash. Although you did what they asked, you exerted little energy doing it. You were half-hearted about the job.
Sadly, Christians often act the same way about seeking God. Time with him becomes a chore, rather than a privilege. They coast along, half-heartedly doing what he says but lacking any energy or joy. Seeking God with your heart means you are fully engaged with your mind and your emotions. You focus on God, what He’s saying and doing.
Paul understands the temptations to live half-heartedly, when he prays, May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5 ESV)
If you find yourself growing half-hearted in seeking God, ask God to help your heart to warm towards Him. Ask Him to direct your heart to love God. Ask Him to help you want to seek Him with all your whole heart.
47. Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
48. Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
49. Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
God wants to be found
If you ever went to the beach, you may have had the experience of getting caught by a strong current and before you knew it you were miles away from your starting point.
Similarly, as a Christian, it’s easy to drift in your relationship with God. This is why scripture continually tells you to ‘seek God.’ Of course, if you’re a believer, God is always with you. But there are times when, because of sin and half-heartedness towards God, you can’t find Him. Perhaps you’re not fully trusting God. Maybe you’re looking at other things for fulfillment in your life. Because of this, God seems hidden from you.
But, God’s word tells us that God wants to be found. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV)
He hasn’t moved. He’s ready to work in your life and help you find the joy you’re looking for. If you’ve drifted away from God. Get back to where you started. He wants to be found by you. He wants you to have a continuous relationship with him, to find all your happiness in Him.
50. 1 Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”
51. Acts 17:27 “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
52. Isaiah 55:6 (ESV) “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.”
Final thoughts
If you’re a Christian, it should be in your heart to seek God. You desire to be with Him, even feeling at times an urgent need to be with Him. This is God’s spirit in you, drawing you to Himself.
Well-known author and teacher, C. S. Lewis once said, Of course God does not consider you hopeless. If He did, He would not be moving you to seek Him (and He obviously is)… Continue seeking Him with seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.
As you seek God, He draws you closer. This seeking brings happiness and contentment because you’re experiencing a relationship with your creator. And this is the deepest, most satisfying relationship any human could experience in their life.
If you’re not a Christian, but you’re seeking God, He wants to be found by you. Don’t hesitate to cry out to Him in prayer. Read the Bible and find Christians who can help you on your journey to find God.
God’s word says, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7 ESV)
