The Pursuit of Knowing God
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
— Hebrews 11:6
Knowing God Is a Journey, Not a Destination
Many people think of knowing God as a fixed spiritual achievement—a place of arrival where growth eventually plateaus. But Scripture paints a very different picture.
Knowing God is movement.
It is continual coming, seeking, longing, discovering, and responding. The language of Hebrews 11:6 carries this sense of ongoing pursuit. Faith is not merely believing once; it is repeatedly moving toward God with expectation.
The invitation is active:
come,
seek,
draw near,
pursue.
Some scholars note that the phrase “He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” carries the idea that God “becomes” a rewarder to the seeker. In other words, those who continually pursue Him increasingly discover who He truly is.
The knowledge of God unfolds progressively.
It is a sojourn, not a static condition.
The deeper we seek, the more deeply we encounter Him.
The Intimate Knowledge of God Multiplies Life
Peter writes:
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
— 2 Peter 1:2
Notice where multiplication happens.
Grace multiplies in knowing God.
Peace multiplies in knowing God.
Spiritual strength multiplies in knowing God.
Not simply knowing facts about Him—but entering into true, intimate communion with Him.
Christianity was never intended to become mechanical familiarity with religious ideas. At its core, the Christian life is relational. Spiritual growth does not primarily happen through information alone, but through deepening connection with the living God.
This is why Scripture consistently describes the pursuit of God in deeply personal language. Not duty alone, but desire. Not cold obligation, but living affection.
The life of faith expands through communion.
Spiritual Hunger: Why the Soul Thirsts for God
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God.”
— Psalms 42:1
The imagery is powerful.
A thirsty deer does not wander casually. Its entire being becomes focused on finding water. Survival, longing, and instinct merge into one consuming pursuit.
This is how the psalmist describes the soul’s longing for God.
True spiritual life is sustained by hunger for God Himself.
Without passion, even sincere faith can slowly become routine. Prayer turns mechanical. Worship becomes habit. Spiritual life loses warmth and becomes transactional rather than relational.
But thirst changes everything.
A thirsty soul seeks God not merely out of discipline, but because it recognizes that nothing else can truly satisfy.
This longing beneath all other longings is one of the deepest realities of human existence.
Jesus and Humanity’s Deepest Thirst
In John 7, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stands and cries out:
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!”
This moment is deeply significant. The Feast of Tabernacles included water-pouring rituals symbolizing God’s provision and sustaining presence. Some commentators suggest that on this climactic day, the expected water ritual may not have been performed.
Into that moment of anticipation and symbolism, Jesus redirects attention toward humanity’s deeper thirst.
Not physical thirst.
Spiritual thirst.
Human beings long for meaning, identity, peace, love, belonging, and fullness because ultimately the soul thirsts for God Himself.
We often attempt to satisfy this longing through success, relationships, achievement, pleasure, or recognition. Yet every lesser well eventually runs dry.
Only God satisfies the deepest hunger of the human heart.
Passion for God Reveals Itself in Pursuit
“O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You.”
— Psalms 63:1
Passion always reveals itself in pursuit.
What we treasure naturally occupies our thoughts. It captures our attention and quietly shapes our desires throughout the day.
The psalmist writes:
“Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love…”
— Psalms 90:14
There is something revealing about the first movements of the heart each morning.
Think about the early stages of love. The person who holds your affection often becomes your first thought upon waking. Desire instinctively moves toward connection.
The same is true spiritually.
What consistently occupies the heart often reveals what we truly hunger for.
Passion for God expresses itself not merely through obligation, but through pursuit. A soul awakened to the goodness of God begins to seek Him intentionally, longingly, and repeatedly.
There Is Always More of God to Discover
One of the beautiful realities of the Christian life is that knowing God is never exhausted.
There is always more depth to encounter.
More intimacy to experience.
More transformation to receive.
More of His character to discover.
God is infinite in goodness, beauty, wisdom, and glory. The pursuit of knowing Him is therefore endless in the best possible sense.
The invitation of Scripture is not simply to believe in God from a distance, but to continually come near—to seek, thirst, commune, and grow.
And in that seeking, we discover something astonishing:
God Himself becomes the reward.
In the next post, we’ll explore the disciplines that deepen our knowledge of God and draw us closer to Him.
Reflective Questions
- What currently occupies the deepest attention of your heart?
- Has your relationship with God become routine rather than relational?
- What “wells” have you been drinking from that ultimately leave you thirsty again?
- What would it look like to seek God with renewed spiritual hunger?
- How might your life change if intimacy with God became your greatest pursuit?
Knowing God: The Cornerstone of the Old Testament Covenant
The Echo of Eden: Restless Hearts and the Hidden God
The Goodness of God Explained: Meaning, Biblical Foundations, and Why It Matters
When Goodness Confronts Religious Power
When God Seems Silent: Discovering the Goodness Hidden in the Cloud
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