As our "Awakening to the Draw" series concludes this week, we find ourselves at a threshold. For the past several weeks, we’ve treated the spiritual life like a series of classrooms. We’ve explored the mechanics of awakening to His invitation, the discipline of lingering in His Word, and the profound, often uncomfortable art of waiting in the silence. Now, we arrive at the beautiful reality that those practices were designed to produce: Living from the Place of Nearness.
Nearness is not a spiritual "peak experience" reserved for retreats or Sunday mornings. It’s not an occasional high or a separate compartment of your week. Rather, nearness is the steady center, the gravity, from which everything else in the human experience flows.
When we respond to God’s gentle pull, we find that abiding intimacy doesn't just change our "quiet time"; it reshapes the "ordinary." Decisions are made in a climate of peace rather than a storm of anxiety; relationships are marked by a surplus of love rather than a deficit of need; and work is transformed from a grind into an act of worship.
The invitation is deceptively simple, yet it requires a total revolution of the heart: Abide first, then live.
The Source: Abiding as the Center of Life
The Theology of the Vine
In John 15:5 NKJV, Jesus offers perhaps the most vital organizational chart for the human soul: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
To understand the "Place of Nearness," we must first understand the biology of the branch. A branch is not a self-sustaining entity. It has no internal reservoir of life; it is entirely dependent on the sap flowing through the vine.
In our modern, individualistic culture, we hate this dependency. We want to be the vine. We want to manufacture our own energy, produce our own results, and take credit for our own growth.
But Jesus’ metaphor is a liberation. A branch doesn't "try" to grow grapes. You will never see a grapevine straining, sweating, or worrying about its yield. It simply stays. Living from nearness means making abiding your non-negotiable center.
When we disconnect from the vine or center, even our ministry or good works become a form of striving; a frantic attempt to do God’s work without God’s power. When we stay connected, our ordinary life becomes naturally, effortlessly fruitful.
The Psychology of Striving
Why is it so hard to just "be"? We’re conditioned to believe that our value is the sum of our output. Abiding feels like "wasting time" to the ego. However, when we settle into the Place of Nearness to Christ, we quiet the "amygdala" of our spiritual lives. This is the part of us that is always in fight-or-flight mode, trying to prove we are enough. In the vine, the pressure is off.
The Practice: Dedicate 10-15 minutes today to agenda-less presence. This is not a time for intercession or study; it’s a time for being. Sit in a chair, breathe deeply, and consciously "graft" yourself back into the Vine. When the day's busyness pulls at your sleeve, don’t scold yourself. Gently return your heart to this center.
The Atmosphere: Joy Rooted in His Presence
Beyond Circumstantial Happiness
“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Psalm 16:11 NKJV
We live in a world that sells joy as a destination reached through the "right" circumstances: the right job, the healthy body, the reconciled relationship. But the "Fullness of Joy" David writes about in the Psalms is an atmospheric reality, not a situational one. It’s the deep security found at His side, regardless of the weather outside.
Living from the Place of Nearness means our joy is "decoupled" from our performance and circumstances. If your joy is tied to how well your day goes, you’ll be a slave to the stock market, the news cycle, and the opinions of others. But if your joy is rooted in His presence, it becomes unshakable. This is how Paul could sing in a dungeon (Acts 16:25) and how the martyrs could face the flame with peace. They weren't happy about their chains; they were joyful in their company, Christ.
The Anchor of Pleasure
Notice David mentions "pleasures forevermore." God is not a stoic taskmaster; He’s the source of all true delight. When we live near Him, we begin to find pleasure in the small things like the taste of coffee, the light through a window, the sound of a child’s laugh, because we see them as "rumors of glory," small tokens of the Great Joy-Giver.
The Practice: Set an alarm for three specific times today. When it goes off, pause for sixty seconds. Whisper: “In Your presence there is fullness of joy.” Don't try to force a feeling; simply acknowledge the fact of His presence. Notice how this repetitive truth begins to shift your internal emotional tone from gray to gold.
The Compass: Decisions Guided by Nearness
The Gentle Nudge
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” — Psalm 32:8 NKJV
One of the greatest drains on our energy is decision fatigue. We agonize over the future, paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice. Yet nearness transforms our relationship with divine direction. When we live close to the Father, we don't need a megaphone to hear Him.
Think of a husband and wife who have been married for fifty years. They can communicate an entire sentence with a single glance across a dinner table. That is the intimacy of "counsel with my eye upon you." We move from reactive, anxious decision-making to a life guided by the gentle "nudge" of the Spirit. Guidance becomes less about a "blueprint" and more about a relationship.
Moving in Synchronicity
When we abide, we begin to develop spiritual intuition. We find ourselves saying the right word at the right time or deciding to take a different route home, only to find later that God had a purpose in the detour. Nearness allows us to walk in step with the Spirit, rather than running ahead in pride or lagging behind in fear.
The Practice: Bring one decision, whether it’s a major career move or simply how to handle a tense email, to God today. Do not ask for an immediate "yes" or "no". Instead, sit with Psalm 32:8 and wait for 5 minutes in silence. Ask: "Father, what is Your heart in this?" Wait for a sense of peace or a specific scripture to rise to the surface.
The Overflow: Relationships Refined by Love
The Moses Model
“So, the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” — Exodus 33:11 NKJV
Moses’s leadership was not a product of his charisma or his education; it was an overflow of his friendship with God. Because Moses spent time in the "thick darkness" where God was, his face literally shone. People knew where he had been before he ever opened his mouth.
When we live from the Place of Nearness, our relationships stop being a place where we "beg for scraps" of validation. Most of our relational conflict comes from two empty people trying to get the other to fill them up. It’s a recipe for resentment.
But when we are filled by the friendship of God, we approach others from a place of surplus. We can be patient with the difficult neighbor and kind to the demanding coworker because our "tank" is already full. Our kindness becomes an overflow, not a chore.
The Ministry of Presence
In nearness, we learn to truly see people. We move past using people ("What can you do for me?") to being with people ("How can I love you with Christ’s love?"). We serve as living reflections of Jesus, carrying the peace and intimacy of our private prayer life into the noise of the everyday world.
The Practice: Identify one person who "drains" you. Before your next interaction with them, pray: “Lord, fill me with Your nearness so I have a surplus to give.” During the conversation, focus on listening rather than defending. Notice if you feel a new capacity for grace.
The Offering: Work as Worship
The Sacredness of the Secular
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men...” — Colossians 3:23 NKJV
For many, spiritual nearness feels like something that stops when the laptop opens or the shift begins. We’ve fallen for the lie of the "sacred-secular divide"—the idea that God is in the sanctuary but absent from the spreadsheet.
Nearness reframes our "to-do" list. When you live from the Center, excellence becomes an act of stewardship. You aren't just filing papers; you’re bringing order to chaos, reflecting the Creator’s heart. You aren't just cleaning a house; you are creating a space for peace to dwell. Work becomes an altar with our worship of Christ.
When the motive shifts from "pleasing the boss" to "loving the Lord," the drudgery of the mundane begins to glow with eternal significance.
The Rhythms of Grace at Work
Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century monk, famously practiced the presence of God while washing greasy pots in a kitchen. He said, "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer." This is the goal: to have a "cloisters of the heart" that remains quiet and near to God even while the office is loud and chaotic.
The Practice: Pick one mundane, repetitive task today (folding laundry, data entry, driving). Before you start, dedicate it: “I do this as for You, Lord.” Perform the task with the same care you would if Jesus were standing in the room. Offer the quality of your labor back to Him as a gift.
The Rhythm: Rest Received, Not Earned
The Counter-Cultural Sabbath
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 NKJV
We live in a "hustle culture" that views rest as a reward for a job well done. We think we have to earn the right to be still. But in the Kingdom of God, rest is a requirement for the work, not a reward for it.
Nearness teaches us the "unforced rhythms of grace." When we abide, we realize that the world doesn’t rest on our shoulders; it rests on His. This allows us to sleep deeply and rest fully.
True rest is not just the absence of activity; it’s the presence of Peace. Abiding allows your soul to catch its breath. It’s the realization that "It is finished"—the work of your salvation and your worth is already secured.
The Sabbath Heart
Living from nearness means carrying a "Sabbath heart" into Tuesday afternoon. It’s the ability to be busy in body but still in soul. When we receive rest from Christ, we become more productive, not less, because we’re working from a place of inspiration rather than exhaustion.
The Practice: In a moment of high stress today, stop. Identify the "burden" you’re carrying (a deadline, a worry, a grudge). Mentally hand it to Jesus. Sit in total silence for three minutes, visualizing His peace carrying the weight. Don’t pick the burden back up when you stand up.
The Evidence: Fruitfulness that Lasts
The Organic Nature of Growth
“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” — John 15:8 NKJV
Finally, we must look at the "Evidence." You can tell if someone is living from the Place of Nearness, not by their religious vocabulary, but by their "fruit." Fruit is the natural byproduct of a healthy root system. You don't have to manufacture patience or fabricate gentleness. These traits grow habitually and organically when you stay connected to the Vine.
If you find yourself becoming more easily irritated, more anxious, or more cynical, it’s a diagnostic signal that your roots have pulled away from the Source. But if you find a new "bud" of joy in a hard season, that’s evidence of His life flowing through yours.
Legacy and Lasting Impact
The fruit of the Spirit is the only thing we take with us into eternity. Our accomplishments will fade, but the character formed in the Place of Nearness—the love, the joy, the peace—is "fruit that lasts."
The Practice: Reflect on this past month of the "Awakening to the Draw" journey. Don't look for "perfection," look for "direction." Where have you seen a small bud of new growth? Perhaps you were a little slower to anger this week, or a little quicker to pray. Thank God for that fruit and ask Him to continue the sap-flow.
Conclusion: The Life That Flows from Nearness
This journey began with an awakening and ends with a lifestyle. These scriptures remind us that nearness isn't a destination we reach; it’s the atmosphere in which we are meant to exist. The "Awakening to the Draw" series may be ending, but the "Drawn Near" life is only beginning.
You are no longer a visitor in the presence of God; you are a resident. May you walk through the doors of February not seeking to find Him but walking with Him.
God bless,
