I once visited a small village in Bangladesh. As I was introduced to its Muslim elders, the way they greeted me—a reserved British man— made me quite uncomfortable.
One elder came and stood with the end of his nose just three inches from mine. He put his hands on my shoulders, and I was instructed to reciprocate. Then he stared deeply into my eyes for around 30 seconds—though it seemed like forever!
Finally, we both leaned forward, kissed on the cheek, leaned back, made even more eye contact, then kissed cheeks again. It was a terribly awkward encounter—all due to my cultural discomfort with being so intimate with someone I’d just met.
Have you ever found yourself acting that way with God? Perhaps you create certain boundaries and say, “God, I’m comfortable with you operating outside of these parameters. But everything inside is my space!”
We fear if we let God in, He’ll discover something He doesn’t like. But He already knows our faults! As King David wrote in Psalm 139:1–4,
You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
Intimacy with God is simply giving Him territory that’s already His. He searches you and sees your faults, yet loves you because of who you are in Christ.
So don’t be afraid to let God’s light shine in the dark corners you try to keep hidden. Invite Him to search you and show you where He wants to bring about change in your life.
I promise you’ll grow more comfortable with being so close to the God who knows you and loves you completely.