“If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.”

-Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)

It’s simple: if I’m not finding Him, I’ve not sought Him wholeheartedly.

I grew up in a Christian home. I experienced encounters occasionally. I knew about God and was taught His word, but really, I mostly had an understanding of Him and knew what a Christian stood for.

At about sixteen, my heart began to drift from what I was taught. I thought the world’s way was more appealing and began to chase what I thought would be more fun.

At eighteen, I found out I was pregnant by a guy who didn’t want me to keep my baby. So, I went to the place I learned about in church where I could get support with my decision to embrace the new life growing inside of me. From that moment on, I turned from where I was, wholeheartedly ran back to what I knew, and I found Jesus.

Like, I FOUND HIM!

I was met with a love I didn’t have to chase, earn, or beg to keep.

I was met with mercy that triumphed over every sin I had ever committed.

I was met with a peace that strengthened me for the overwhelming journey of becoming a mom at barely nineteen.

I learned to walk in the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, filled with a grace that changed me from the inside out.

I was comforted through lonely seasons in ways I didn’t know were possible until I found Him.

I found a confidence that can never be shaken or taken regardless of what my circumstances are saying.

I met God in such profound and tangible ways — no one can ever take my testimony away.

No one.

His love — His presence — His comfort, joy, peace, and everything my soul was longing for has been found. And I know it was because I wholeheartedly looked for Him.

Are you struggling with your faith?

Do you find that you don’t feel close to God?

Are you lacking His peace, joy, and presence in your life?

Then my question to you is this: are you seeking Him with your whole heart or do you have things, people, hobbies, or distractions that have come between you and Him?

Are you leaning toward false comforts that take your attention and create barriers in your heart that are preventing you from going directly to Him?

Do you choose other outlets to keep busy, finding His still, small voice is void in your life?

Friend, our struggle to feel close to God is never on His end — it’s on ours. He is near, and His presence is readily available to ALL who call upon His name. We create the distance by putting everything and everyone else in His place — idols that distract us from pursuing Him with our whole hearts, blocking us from living in His all-encompassing presence.

I’m challenging you to remove the distractions and take an honest look at why you feel distant from the One who gave up His Son, restoring mankind to the way it was in the garden — close to God, living in His presence, with no shame, just freely loved by the One who gave us life, and begin to look for Him with your whole heart.

You will find Him.

It’s a promise.