We'll start back in Psalm 51, where we saw David drawing nigh to God last time. Verse 12 tells us one of the benefits David experienced when he drew near to God: JOY! David asked God to renew the joy of his salvation. When we are away from God, sometimes our joy might fade a bit - actually, it probably will, not just might. When we draw near to Him again, though, we can expect Him to renew that joy.
Next, we can expect to have a RENEWED SPIRIT: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10) A renewed spirit might be referred to as an attitude adjustment. Who better to help us with our attitudes than the Lord?! When we sense the need for a new spirit, we can draw nigh to Him and He'll change it for us. Try it!
Another benefit of drawing nigh to God comes in triplicate: "For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy one of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in QUIETNESS and in CONFIDENCE shall be your STRENGTH..." (Isaiah 30:15) I love this verse! Returning and rest indicate repentance and faith, the result of which are quietness, confidence, and strength. Do you ever wonder how people who go through trials can have so much strength under fire, so much confidence and peace? I can't know their hearts, but I would imagine it's because they've drawn near to God. We don't have to wait for trials to come along, though; we can have these benefits every day by simply drawing near to God!
Finally - and again, this list is not exhaustive - we can have CONTENTMENT: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." (Psalm 17:15) I don't know about you, but many times I get dissatisfied with my life and possessions. When I do, I'm telling on myself! David said that when he is near to God (you can't see His likeness if you're far away!), he is satisfied with just that - being near to God. Do you suppose much of our discontent may be in relation to where we are with God? He promises to provide all our needs and to satisfy the hungry and thirsty soul, so if we're not satisfied, whose fault is that? Certainly not God's! We need to learn to be content by drawing nigh to God and allowing His face, His presence, to be our satisfaction.
As I said above, this series hasn't been the end-all, go-to reference for drawing nigh to God, but I hope it's helped to encourage you to do your own study and grow closer to the Lord. I've sure enjoyed the study myself, been convicted, and learned a few things along the way!
Susan Hutchens
Missionary Wife in Vancouver, BC, Canada
ByGrace
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