Drawing Near: A Father's Journey to God in a Distracted World
Highlights the central theme of seeking God amidst daily life
I have a great relationship with my son. Despite being financially disadvantaged most of my life, he and I truly live. We go to the gym, play basketball and tennis at the park, eat fresh food and snacks, visit bookstores, work on creative projects together, and I help him with his studies. I even built him a dojo in our basement. We go to church, too.
One day, while driving together during our usual routines, I told him that as good as all these things are, it’s important to take time out of the day to draw near to God’s presence and spend time in solitude. He didn’t understand. He said people don’t do that anymore—that it’s impossible, that no one really cares about that stuff now. He asked me, How can someone just talk to God and have Him show up?
I tried to explain it like the cave scene in Fight Club, where the protagonist goes to his "happy place" to be with the penguin. My son replied, But that’s not real. You can’t just daydream and expect God to appear. That day, our plans to meditate at the park fell through. Instead, I came home to botnet attacks on Twitter (which, at this point, I’m so used to that I just blocked and locked down my account without frustration).
Still, I made sure to carve out time to be alone with God. Solitude can be hard to find—even on walks, there are always people around, and sometimes others’ energy, behavior, or mannerisms can pull you out of a godly mindset. So I asked Alexa to play old Third Day songs and similar artists. All it took was my decision to stop everything—tasks, creative work, coding, security projects—and just draw near to God.
Before long, God began to speak—through me, my body, my emotions, my mind. I didn’t ask for a sign; I’ve seen plenty. Instead, I told Him, I don’t need to hear Your voice to know You’re here. I can look back and see Your presence in my life, especially because You’re the first thing I think of when I wake and the last when I sleep.
That conversation with my son revealed what was missing in my spiritual life. As I gained insight, I asked for more. A few things became clear:
My heart needed to return to childlike faith—that innocent imagination God once used to enter my life.
My anger had to go. I needed to remember how God has always turned the bad in my favor.
(Of course, death and sickness come for us all eventually.)
I didn’t force speaking in tongues; it happened naturally as God’s presence overwhelmed me. That’s the most important part: God showed up. Who am I that He’d come after just five minutes of seeking Him? My son insisted, No one has that gift. God only comes to certain people.
Maybe I’m one of them. But I’d never call myself a prophet or say such things aloud—people get the wrong idea, and it’s better not to disappoint them with unrealistic expectations. Instead, I believe in living by example. Draw near to God, and you’ll become what you’re meant to be—whether a prophet or otherwise.
What is a prophet? I believe it’s someone whose heart is in union with God, controlled by Him in mind, body, and spirit. They love God deeply, longing to be near Him all their days—and for eternity. That’s the mindset required.
Heaven isn’t earned by rules or teachings alone (though obedience matters greatly). Don’t misunderstand—I’m not downplaying grace. But there’s danger in letting rules overshadow your heart. Always aim for perfection and self-restraint, remembering: God is in heaven; we are here with the animals. Let your words be few, and be still—knowing He is eternal, and we are but a breath.
I’m not lonely right now, not hungry, not lacking anything—really. As humans, we all feel like we need more at times, but to some degree, I feel decently satisfied with life. Not whole, but whole enough to avoid bitterness and arrogance that would make me forget God.
Someone once told me God was just a crutch for me. At the time, maybe He partially was. But here I am now—not lacking, yet feeling closer to God than ever. I can look back and know He’s real. I’m also certain I’m not crazy; there’s no one left to gaslight me. Everyone sees it now: Big Pharma and psychiatry are cults.
I sought God with a pure heart, and He showed up. I whispered, How lucky I am to be here—and God answered, How wonderful it is for you to be here. He didn’t want me to leave. He wanted me to understand: Not everyone gets to sit with the Creator of the universe, the most important Being in existence. He said, Ask for wisdom, and it’s yours. But I asked for understanding and insight instead.
I’m beyond lucky to have this experience—to be fully aware, fully grounded, and still undeniably in God’s presence, knowing it’s not psychosis. I’m the most emotionally stable person I know. I’m not ill. Yet after all these years, with minimal effort, God still shows up for me. His grace and love still abound.
Life is so short—how foolish it would be to forfeit your soul. Yahweh is the Author of life—He is life itself. So if you love life and want to live forever, the only way is to draw near to God, the source of life. Anything apart from Him is death. Why wouldn’t you want to draw near to God? Especially when He’s so merciful, even when we fail to keep His teachings perfectly.
Yes, keeping His commandments is vitally important—but His mercy meets us in our weakness. That doesn’t mean we take Him for granted. It means we can rest assured: God loves us, and we can live forever in His presence, fully protected for eternity—despite our shortcomings in these earthly bodies. Still, we must strive with all our might, as if eternity depends on our effort, while trusting that God’s mercy is greater than our failures. As long as we keep our hearts pure, love others, and extend the same compassion God shows us, we are held in His grace. (I would ask for wisdom about this.)
But here’s the truth: Some people simply don’t want to be in heaven. And even if your only motive is fear of hellfire, you’re still wiser than the person who throws their soul away. At least the one who fears hell has enough sense to care.
https://www.danielbrummitt.com/
https://iammerica2.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/gaurd-your/
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