You cannot truly know God and stay the same. The more you seek Him, the more He changes your heart, renews your mind, and leads you into the life He created you to live.
Many years ago, I began my Christian journey with a deep desire to know God and obey Him, no matter the cost. It was not easy. I studied the Scriptures, prayed, listened for the leading of the Holy Spirit, and sought to understand God more personally. I also read books that helped shape my walk with Him, including Knowing God by J. I. Packer and Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. These resources helped me see that knowing God is not just about learning facts about Him. It is about building a real relationship with Him.
J. I. Packer makes an important point in Knowing God: if we try to live in this world without knowing the God who created it and rules over it, life can feel confusing, painful, and directionless. In simple terms, we need to know God because we are living in His world. Without Him, we are trying to find our way without a map.
I believe many people think about God from a distance. They believe He exists, but they have not truly welcomed Him into their daily lives. There is a difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. I can know where you live, what kind of work you do, your favorite food, or the music you enjoy without ever spending time with you. But to really know you, I must spend time with you. It is the same with God.
To know God, we must spend time with Him—in His Word, in prayer, in worship, and in fellowship with other believers. We cannot settle for religious habits that look right on the outside but never allow His power to change us on the inside. Scripture warns us not to have the appearance of godliness while rejecting the power that truly changes us. God wants more than routine. He wants relationship (2 Tim. 3:5).
The Apostle Paul understood this. His greatest desire was to know Christ. He said that everything else was like garbage compared to the worth of knowing Jesus. He wanted to know Christ deeply, including the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10). Paul was not chasing religion. He was pursuing a Person.
Knowing and pursuing God is the best decision we can make. There will be hills and valleys, highs and lows, but His love is better than life (Psa. 63:3). He holds us up with His righteous right hand. Like David wrote in the Psalms, my soul follows hard after Him. I think about Him day and night. He is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, the One who places the lonely in families and leads prisoners out with singing.
The men and women God used throughout history came from different backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences. But they had one thing in common: they wanted to know God and walk with Him. If you have become comfortable or complacent in your relationship with God, I encourage you to draw near again. Ask Him for a fresh hunger, a renewed heart, and a deeper relationship with Jesus.
When I began seeking God, I could not have imagined all He planned to do in and through my life. But He has done more than I could ask, think, or imagine, and He continues to do so. The journey of knowing God truly changes you. It changes how you see Him, how you see yourself, and how you live in the world.
In the end, knowing God is not a one-time decision; it is a daily walk. The more we seek Him, the more we learn His heart, trust His ways, and become who He created us to be. A life spent pursuing God is never wasted—it is the path to true purpose, peace, and transformation.
If you feel distant from God, start today. Open your Bible, pray honestly, worship sincerely, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you know Him more. Do not just know about God—draw close to Him, walk with Him, and let Him change you from the inside out.
May God arise in our hearts, our homes, our churches, and our lives.
Minister A Francine Green I July 2026