What does the Bible say

What Does the Bible Say About Seeking God?

The Bible promises that those who seek God will find him, and it urges us to seek him first, early, and with the whole heart. Far from playing hard to get, God rewards the seeker; he is found by those who look for him and draws near to those who draw near. Seeking God is the great pursuit that orders every other one.

What Scripture says

Here are real verses on seeking God, each in the King James Version, with a word on what it means.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)

Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.Proverbs 8:17 (KJV)

Those that seek me early shall find me.

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.Psalm 27:8 (KJV)

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.Deuteronomy 4:29 (KJV)

If thou seek the LORD with all thy heart and soul, thou shalt find him.

What this means for you today

Seeking God is not chasing a reluctant deity but responding to a God who is already drawing us. He promises to be found, and to reward those who look for him, so the search itself is never in vain.

To seek God first means letting him take priority over lesser pursuits, giving him our early and best attention through prayer, his Word, and worship. Everything else, Jesus promises, finds its proper place when he is sought first.

The deepest answer is Jesus

Jesus said he came to seek and to save the lost, so even our seeking of him is a response to his seeking of us first.

Every one of these Scriptures points beyond itself to a Person. The deepest answer the Bible gives to any human need is not a rule or a technique but Jesus Christ, who came, lived, died, and rose again so that you could be forgiven and brought home to God. He said, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Whatever you are carrying, you do not have to carry it alone, and you do not have to make yourself clean first. You can come to him today, just as you are.

This is the good news the whole Bible is telling. We were made for God, we have all turned from him and gone our own way, and none of us can fix that on our own. But God did not leave us there. Out of love he sent his Son to take our place, bearing our wrong on the cross and rising again to open the way back to the Father. Everyone who turns to Jesus and trusts him is forgiven, given new life, and welcomed as a beloved child of God, held by a love that will never let go. That is why the Bible's answer to every topic on this page finally leads here. You can respond right now, in your own words, simply telling God you need him and asking Jesus to be your Saviour and Lord. He hears the honest prayer of anyone who comes.

Related: God's Will · God's Timing · Hearing God's Voice · Spiritual Growth · Assurance of Salvation · All topics