I need to draw closer to God

What this passage says

The passage gives a series of commands: submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, be sorrowful, humble yourselves. Two promises sit inside them. Verse 8 says that if you draw near to God he will draw near to you, and verse 10 says the humble will be exalted in due time.

What describes your situation best?

Only if it helps. Nothing you choose is saved or sent anywhere.

• I have drifted slowly
• I am busy and Scripture has gone quiet
• I feel guilty and that keeps me away
• I want more than a routine
• I'm not sure where to begin again

What would help you most right now?

• Give me Scripture to read
• Help me understand what Scripture says
• Guide me through prayer
• Give me a short study
• Create a 7-day Scripture journey

Read these next

• The same theme carried on

  Loading Psalm 73:16-28…

  A man whose faith nearly slipped says the turning point was entering God's sanctuary, and ends with nearness to God as his good.

• Old and New Testament together

  Loading Hebrews 10:19-22…

  Draw near is grounded in the work of Christ, not in the strength of the one drawing near.

• How it is lived

  Loading Luke 10:38-42…

  Jesus names the one thing needed while a household is busy with many things.

What this means for you

James joins nearness to humility rather than to intensity. The commands are not a ladder to climb before God will come close; verse 6 begins with grace given to the humble.

One thing to do

Choose one fixed time tomorrow, open one short passage, and read it twice before saying anything.

Pray this passage

God, this passage says you give grace to the humble and that if I draw near you will draw near to me. I have been far off. I am not bringing you a stronger week, only myself. Cleanse and humble me as verse 8 says, and do what verse 10 says you do in due time.

Or pray in your own words

• Name honestly what has taken the place of time with God.
• Ask for grace, using verse 6 as your words.
• Ask him to make one passage clear to you this week.

A 7 day Scripture path

Seven passages, one a day, read in your own translation. Kept in this browser only.

Where to go from here

• Read the whole chapter around James 4:6-10
• Put one of these verses to memory
• Save a verse or write a note in your library
• Choose another subject