By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

One of the readers earlier wrote to me: "Benescke, I feel as if I am far away from God. Sometimes, it even feels as if I am moving further and further away from Him. What can I do to change this?"

I recently heard a story about a family being woken up one morning by the smoke alarm in their home. The father immediately jumped up and, with his 1-year-old girl in his arms and hand in hand with his 4-year-old boy, he started moving towards the front door. The smoke was already very thick in the house. The 4-year-old broke loose and ran ahead. Although the father assumed that the boy ran outside, he actually ran to his room and hid between his toys where he thought he would be safe.

Outside the parents were shocked, realizing that their child was not there. They looked up to discover his fearful face glancing at them from his bedroom window. The dad immediately went to stand underneath the window, shouting: "Jump down, my son.” Through his tears, the boy replied, “But I cannot see you, dad”. The dad then shouted, “It's okay, my child. I can see you!” The boy jumped and landed safely in his father’s arms.
 
Sometimes we experience “smokey seasons” in our lives. During these times, we feel far away from God. We feel as if we do not see (or hear) Him and even though we desire a relationship with Him, we too, like the above-mentioned reader, feel as if we are moving further and further away from Him. During these times, we need to remind ourselves that God desires to build a relationship with us. In James 4:8, we read: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Also in Hebrews 11:6, it is written, “Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

Here are five easy steps to move closer to God: Step 1: Make a conscious decision to move closer to God. Step 2: In faith, start to speak to God about everything – things that are bothering you, but also things that make you excited. Step 3: Listen to God’s voice. He wants to speak back. The aim is to have a conversation with Him. Write down what you sense He is saying to you. Step 4: Begin reading the Word of God. An online reading programme might assist you in this. In Romans 10:17 we read that our faith grows when we read the Word. Through this, we will discover God's character and learn to discern His voice. Step 5: Enjoy the process. A relationship with God is the greatest joy in life - that is what we were created for.

Let's "jump" like the boy from the window by approaching God in faith. Just like his dad next to the burning house, God is also ready to catch us. God bless.

Father God, thank You for accepting me as I am. I desire to grow in my relationship with you. Open my eyes to see You and my ears to hear Your voice more clearly. I pray for this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• Feedback: Join in by giving feedback of the series at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I look forward to hearing from you. Benescke