Searching for God

Today I had someone who I've known for many years ask me a question that really made me think. She asked me, "How do I go about seeking God?" If you're like me, your first response is, "That's easy!" But then upon further thought, as I tried to answer her, I realized that it's really not such an easy answer, nor an easy task.  Oh, I know that the scriptures say, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) but that verse has a key element in it... "when you seek me with all of your heart." In other words, a half-hearted search for God is not going to get the job done! When you stop and think about it, there is no handbook that gives us a step by step method of seeking God. Some would say that they put on praise and worship music and "go after" God. Others would say they get alone and quiet. Others would say they like to be in their prayer closet while still others would tell you that they need to get out in nature. You get the idea... there is not "A" ways to seek God, but there are many ways. And the same method does not work every time in every situation. The point is that there are no rules or written strategies for seeking God. The key is that we seek after Him with all of our heart.  To be totally honest, there are times that seeking God is almost like searching for something in a totally darkened room. We go after Him blindly, like someone reaching out and groping through the dark trying to find a light. The idea is that we don't quit! Even when we are groping, somewhat aimlessly, we know that He is there, so we keep reaching, keep feeling, keep moving until we find Him. Don't be afraid to reach out, to grope, to cry out to Him. Paul said in Acts 17:26-27 "From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him... though he is not far from any one of us." So we see in God's own Word the concept of seeking, feeling and groping trying to find Him.  Here's the thing, God knows exactly what it will take to bring each one of us from our place of spiritual slumber to get up and move and search for Him.  So the answer to my friend and to those who are reading is... you search! You move toward Him. You get in the Word. You enter into praise and worship. You still and quiet your soul. You do whatever it takes! You just keep seeking, feeling, praying and listening until you find Him. The answer was given in that first verse of scripture listed above... if you search with all of your heart YOU WILL FIND HIM! But again... a half-hearted search will leave you empty handed!