What Does It Mean To Seek God

Psalm 63:1

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

The word "seek" is a verb that means to attempt to find, search for, or look for something that is desired, needed, or missing. It involves trying to obtain or achieve a particular goal or objective. When someone is seeking something, they often inquire about it, ask for advice, or seek guidance on how to locate what’s missing. The search typically leads them to explore different places or resources until they are satisfied that they've found what they're looking for.

In the context of seeking God, the definition of "seek" takes on a deeper, spiritual meaning. To seek God is to actively search for Him with a desire to find and connect with Him.It involves recognizing that God is who we need, who we deeply desire, or who we feel is missing in our lives. Just as seeking in a general sense involves effort and persistence—asking, inquiring, and exploring—seeking God requires a wholehearted pursuit of Him through prayer, study, worship, and a willingness to align our hearts with His will. The ultimate goal is not just to find Him but to draw closer to Him, understand Him more deeply, and experience the fulfillment that only He can provide.

Everything I’ve mentioned so far could be considered the textbook definition of seeking God. However, as I wrote, I realized the Lord had much more to reveal on the topic. In my own search for clarity, I turned to the Scriptures seeking to understand how to truly seek God. It was during this time that the Lord began to speak to me. He said, “To seek is to put first.”

At first, I didn’t fully grasp what He meant, but He knew this and continued to explain: “When you seek something, it becomes your priority and your preference. It takes the highest place in your heart and mind—it becomes of utmost importance to you. Think about the time you lost your keys. The search consumed your every waking moment because you recognized that without them, you would be immobile. You searched relentlessly, even in places that didn’t make sense, driven by the hope of finding what was missing. That’s what it means to truly seek: it disrupts your peace, troubles your soul, and preoccupies your mind. This is what I mean by putting something first. When something is most important to you, it naturally takes precedence in your life. Even with other obligations, your heart and thoughts will always reveal what is truly first.”

When the Lord explained this to me, I realized that seeking God was never meant to be a momentary act or an occasional occurrence. Instead, it is a state of being—a consistent attitude of the heart. We can easily identify what holds the most importance in our lives by examining the things that dominate our thoughts. If we are truly seeking God or genuinely desiring fellowship with Him, He will occupy our minds constantly. Thoughts of Him will interrupt and inspire us, compelling us to draw closer. Furthermore, for those already in fellowship with Him, if He is truly first in their lives, they will find themselves unable to stop thinking about Him and eagerly anticipating their next moment of communion with Him.

Does this mean we will have no other responsibilities or interests? Absolutely not. Life comes with many obligations, and there are times when rest and relaxation are necessary and good. However, it is dangerously easy for these things—occupations, responsibilities, rest, relaxation, entertainment, or other cares of life—to take precedence in our hearts over God Himself.

The Lord addressed this directly: “Many draw near to Me with their mouths but not their hearts. They are quick to claim they desire fellowship with Me, yet when I lead them into it, they resist. They have their reasons—they blame busyness and fatigue—forgetting that I am the One who created time and strengthens the body. Yet, they always seem to find enough time to do whatever they consider important. Did I not say, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’? Yet, despite their busyness, they always manage to find time to eat and sleep. Cannot even a portion of this time be given to Me in fellowship? Truly, they are not too busy for Me; I simply am not their priority.

When you truly seek something, though there are other priorities, their importance diminishes in comparison. You attend to them out of necessity, but your heart and mind always return to the object of your desire. What you seek becomes a plague to your soul—an unrelenting pull that will not leave until it is satisfied. This persistent yearning creates a fervency in your heart to pursue it. In My case, when the desire for My Spirit and Heart plagues your soul, it translates into the offerings of prayer, fasting, and searching the Scriptures—even if only in small moments throughout the day. It is not the length of time that I seek, but the hearts of My people that I long to return to Me.”

There it is—GOD WANTS OUR HEARTS. To truly fulfill the Scriptures and "pray without ceasing," we must develop the habit of communing with the Lord throughout the day, having ongoing conversations with Him in our hearts. God has never been preoccupied with the length of time spent in prayer; rather, it is sincerity and genuineness that He desires and loves.

This is a call to self-examination: What is number one in your life? Are there things you prioritize above prayer and fellowship with God? Do thoughts about other matters interrupt your time with Him, stealing your focus and devotion? If so, it is very possible that those things have taken the place that rightfully belongs to God.

This principle also applies to those who seek to be born again. Though you may say you are seeking God, is He truly number one in your life? Does He preoccupy your thoughts and desires? If not, then your words are vain and empty, for true seeking is not just spoken—it is reflected in the heart’s priorities and actions.

A Call to Repentance

Lord, we hear Your Word, and we recognize where we have allowed other things to become priorities in our hearts, where only You should reign. You alone are God, and nothing should take Your place. We repent for the times we failed to acknowledge You or obey the promptings of Your Spirit. For the moments we lived unto ourselves instead of submitting to You, we ask for forgiveness and mercy. Draw us back to You by Your tender love and grace. Lord, we humbly ask You to be pleased to fellowship with us once again. We thank You for Your Words and the mercy You have extended to us. From this very moment forward and into eternity, we choose to change. Amen.