I Want More of God
Why longing for deeper communion with Christ guides us back to faithfulness, obedience, and Scripture.
Many of us carry a quiet, unspoken longing deep in our hearts a longing for “more of God.” Not necessarily more blessings, more comfort, or even more clarity. But more of Himself: greater intimacy with the God who first knew and loved us. At the core of the Christian life is a deep desire to know Him, draw near to Him, and belong to Him more fully (Jeremiah 31:33–34; Hebrews 8:10–12).
Known by Love
This longing is not surprising because it reflects God’s own promise. Under the new covenant, He promises: “I will be their God, and they shall be my people. … They shall all know me.” (Jeremiah 31:33–34). This is not the superficial knowing of facts about God it’s the intimate knowing that comes from belonging, love, and trust.
In the Gospels, when the crowds turned away from Jesus because His teaching seemed too difficult, the twelve disciples stayed. Why? Not only because they heard His words, but because they had come to truly know Him as “the Holy One of God” (John 6:69). That relational knowing love, trust, commitment became the condition for deeper revelation.
Jesus Himself said it plainly: “If anyone loves me… I will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). He promised that through the Spirit of truth, true lovers of God will experience His presence both inwardly and forever (John 14:23; 1 John 4:13).
The Way Is Simple Yet Not Easy
The path to deeper intimacy with God is simple: believe in Christ, love Him, keep His commandments, live in obedience to His Word. But it is also hard. We wrestle against unbelief, the pull of our flesh, and a world steeped in pain, distraction, and brokenness (Matthew 7:14; Romans 7:21–23; 1 John 2:16–17).
Scripture becomes our lifeline. As “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12), the Word forms the foundation of our faith and the medium of our fellowship with God. As we read and respond, faith takes root, hope deepens, and the love of God overtakes the idols of our hearts.
Why Many Long But Few Grow
Sadly, many long for more of God but few press into the means He has given us. In the United States, for example, only a minority of self-identified Christians engage the Bible on a regular basis. According to a 2019 study of Protestant churchgoers, just 32 percent read Scripture daily, while another 27 percent read it a few times each week.
This lack of regular Scripture engagement makes it difficult for faith to grow deep roots. When the Bible ceases to be the steady stream nourishing our souls, our longing for God may persist but our closeness to Him remains shallow, fragile, and easily shaken.
The longing for God may also arise because we recognize the gap between who we are now and who we were made to be. We see only in part, as if through a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12). We are still pilgrims, still learning, still longing. And often, the depths of our longing reflect the depths of what we have yet to taste.
The Path Forward Press On
Nevertheless, hope remains. The new covenant promises that God will reveal Himself not just through distant miracles, but through everyday means: the Word of God, the presence of the Spirit, the disciplined, faithful life lived before Him.
If you long for more of God, begin where He has placed you. Open the Bible. Read, pray, believe. Keep His commands. Live in obedience. Over time, you may not feel flashes of heaven but you will find steady growth, deeper trust, and a quiet assurance: He is with you.
And if your heart still aches with longing good. That longing is a gift. It reminds you that you belong to Him, and that one day you will know Him fully, just as He knows you (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Until then, let that longing draw you closer, let it shape your habits, and let it lead you always back to the one who loves you best.
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Reply
Edward Kelly • 21 hours ago
You describe me! I pray and study the scriptures daily, but there is much more room for deeper prayer and far more reading and study. I struggle to love God. I feel too far removed, too unworthy, and He is so Great it is intimidating and beyond conception.
I believe in what you write. I just need to keep on. Trust in Him. Let it ensue. Be as Holy as he made me to be!
Thank you,
Ed
Ken Yehle • 19 hours ago
Ed, everything you say I hear and battle the same thoughts. I think we as a generation get "Caught" up in the world, ie: jobs, traffic (especially traffic), kids sports, and TV. I look back 50 ~ 60 years when I was younger and realize we did not have the distractions of today. what all this tells me is that the Enemy is working overtime to consume our time, rob our time with things we place an importance on.
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