How can a person find God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

To "find God" is a phrase used by people in a variety of ways. Some people use the idea of "finding God" as a way to express they are becoming more spiritual or religious. Others use it in a more specific sense, meaning to come to faith in Jesus Christ as expressed in the Bible (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:8–10). We find God by recognizing that He initiates the search for us, as our natural inclination is not to seek Him on our own (Psalm 14:2–3). God reveals Himself through Jesus Christ, who declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Finding God involves responding to this revelation with faith, as salvation and connection with God come through belief in Jesus—not through our own efforts but through accepting God’s grace and recognizing His presence. God calls us to seek Him earnestly and He promises to be found when we do. In seeking God earnestly and following Jesus as our path to Him, we align ourselves with God’s pursuit and find satisfaction in Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• No one seeks God on his or her own. Psalm 14:2–3 reveals, "The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." Apart from God's sovereign work, a person does not naturally seek after God or do good. Yet, God makes Himself known and pursues us to find Him. We are called to recognize who God is and how He makes Himself known, and in so doing, we find Him.
• God says: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). God confirms that we will find Him when we seek Him wholeheartedly.
• God rewards those who seek Him. Psalm 9:10 notes, "those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."
• Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has "put eternity into man's heart," suggesting that humans have an inherent longing or yearning to seek and understand God and to find meaning beyond the temporal aspects of life. This inner desire reflects a deep, God-given awareness of something greater than the material world.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The apostle Paul observed to the people of Athens that God created humans and allotted their time and place so "they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). Every person has some kind of yearning or desire to seek God.
• God is not far away but has revealed Himself through Jesus (Acts 17:27–31; Hebrews 1:1–4).
• In John 14:6, Jesus taught, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He taught that the only way to "find God" was to believe in Him as the way, truth, and life. A person finds God through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
• Finding God takes place by grace through faith, not through works (Ephesians 2:8–9). Hebrews 11:6 teaches, "without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." By faith we recognize who God is and how He has revealed Himself, specifically through Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.
• Jesus is the only name by which a person can be saved (Acts 4:12) and find God, receiving forgiveness of sins, purpose and strength for this life (John 10:10), and eternal life in heaven.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Finding God is a journey that begins not with our own initiative but with God’s pursuit of us. As Psalm 14:2–3 highlights, no one seeks God on their own; our hearts are inclined away from Him. Yet, God’s grace breaks through our apathy, drawing us to recognize Him. Acts 17:27 reminds us that God has designed us with an inherent longing to seek Him, and despite our wanderings, He is never far from us. Through Jesus Christ, God has made Himself accessible to us, declaring, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). This means that finding God is not a matter of personal achievement but of faith in Jesus as our path to God. Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that this faith is a gift, not a work we can boast about. It is through Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection that we find forgiveness, purpose, and eternal life. To live in light of this truth, we must recognize that our search for meaning and connection with God is fulfilled in Christ alone. Seek God earnestly, respond to His Word and offer of salvation, and live out the purpose He gives, knowing that God is close and ready to reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him.

UNDERSTAND

• We do not seek God on our own; He initiates the search and reveals Himself to us.
• Finding God is possible through faith in Jesus Christ, who is the only way to salvation and to relationship with God.
• Finding God is what satisfies our hearts and souls.

REFLECT

• How have you experienced God's pursuit of you even when you were not actively seeking Him?
• How can you more actively respond to the ways God reveals Himself in your daily routines and decisions?
• What do you learn about God’s character in the way He reveals Himself to humanity and to each person?

ENGAGE

• What are some practical ways we can encourage others to seek God wholeheartedly?
• How can we encourage others to respond to the ways God reveals Himself to them daily through His Word and other means?
• How does the concept of finding God through faith in Jesus challenge or affirm your current understanding of salvation?