Relationship with God requires maintenance just like any other relationship. You start strong with daily devotions, passionate prayers, and genuine connection, but life gets busy and the disciplines slip. Work demands increase, responsibilities multiply, and suddenly weeks pass without meaningful time with God. You’re not walking away from faith, just drifting in subtle ways that create distance. Prayer becomes reactive instead of relational, Bible reading turns sporadic, and you realize you’re running on spiritual fumes.
The Bible makes it clear that knowing about God isn’t the same as knowing God. Relationship requires intentionality: regular communication through prayer, time in His Word, obedience to what He reveals, and prioritizing His presence over the endless demands competing for attention. God never drifts from us, but we drift from Him when we stop cultivating intimacy. Scripture offers practical guidance for staying close to God: abide in Christ like branches in a vine, seek Him while He may be found, draw near and He’ll draw near, and remain faithful in the small disciplines that keep the relationship alive.
These verses remind us that maintaining a vibrant relationship with God isn’t about perfection but about consistent pursuit, choosing daily to prioritize the One who never stops pursuing us.
Bible Verses About Maintaining a Relationship With God
1. John 15:4-5 – Remain in Me, as I Also Remain in You
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
New International Version (NIV)
2. James 4:8 – Draw Near to God and He Will Draw Near to You
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
English Standard Version (ESV)
3. Psalm 63:1 – You, God, Are My God, Earnestly I Seek You
O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
New King James Version (NKJV)
4. Jeremiah 29:13 – You Will Seek Me and Find Me
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
New Living Translation (NLT)
5. Matthew 6:33 – Seek First His Kingdom
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6. Psalm 27:4 – One Thing I Ask from the Lord
One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray Continually
Pray without ceasing.
King James Version (KJV)
8. Psalm 119:11 – I Have Hidden Your Word in My Heart
I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
9. Colossians 2:6-7 – Continue to Live Your Lives in Him
My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.
The Message (MSG)
10. Hebrews 10:25 – Not Giving Up Meeting Together
Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11. 1 Chronicles 16:11 – Look to the Lord and His Strength
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face continually!
New English Translation (NET)
12. Colossians 3:16 – Let the Message of Christ Dwell Among You
Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13. Joshua 1:8 – Keep This Book of the Law Always on Your Lips
Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
14. Psalm 42:1-2 – As the Deer Pants for Streams of Water
A deer longs for streams of water. God, in the same way, I long for you. I am thirsty for God. I am thirsty for the living God. When can I go and meet with him?
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
15. Philippians 4:6 – Do Not Be Anxious About Anything
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
New King James Version (NKJV)
16. Proverbs 3:6 – In All Your Ways Submit to Him
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
New International Version (NIV)
17. John 17:3 – This Is Eternal Life
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
18. Psalm 46:10 – Be Still, and Know That I Am God
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
New King James Version (NKJV)
19. Romans 12:12 – Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
New Living Translation (NLT)
20. Psalm 105:4 – Look to the Lord and His Strength
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
21. Acts 17:27 – God Did This So That They Would Seek Him
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
22. Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the Lord While He May Be Found
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
King James Version (KJV)
23. Hebrews 4:16 – Let Us Approach God’s Throne of Grace
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
24. Galatians 5:16 – Walk by the Spirit
My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.
The Message (MSG)
25. 2 Timothy 2:15 – Do Your Best to Present Yourself to God
Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
26. Psalm 34:8 – Taste and See That the Lord Is Good
Taste and see that the LORD is good. How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!
New English Translation (NET)
27. 1 John 1:7 – If We Walk in the Light
But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
28. Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love the Lord Your God
Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
29. Mark 1:35 – Very Early in the Morning, Jesus Got Up
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and left the house. He went to a place where he could be alone. There he prayed.
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
30. 1 Peter 2:2 – Crave Pure Spiritual Milk
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.
New King James Version (NKJV)
31. Ephesians 5:19-20 – Speaking to One Another with Psalms
speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
New International Version (NIV)
32. 2 Chronicles 7:14 – If My People Will Humble Themselves and Pray
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
33. Psalm 73:28 – But as for Me, It Is Good to Be Near God
But as for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds.
New King James Version (NKJV)
34. John 14:21 – Whoever Has My Commands and Keeps Them
Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.
New Living Translation (NLT)
35. Psalm 16:11 – You Make Known to Me the Path of Life
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
Our Thoughts On What the Bible Says About Maintaining Relationship With God
Relationship with God thrives on the same principles as any relationship: time, communication, consistency, and prioritization. Just as marriages suffer when couples stop talking or friendships fade when people stop connecting, our relationship with God deteriorates when we neglect the disciplines that maintain intimacy. Scripture consistently emphasizes the importance of seeking God, remaining in Christ, drawing near, and abiding in His presence. These aren’t legalistic requirements but relational necessities.
What strikes me most about maintaining relationship with God is that He never moves away from us. We’re the ones who drift through distraction, busyness, or simply losing intentionality. The good news is that He’s always ready to restore intimacy the moment we turn back toward Him. Drawing near to God isn’t about earning His favor but about positioning ourselves to experience the relationship He’s always offering.
The most encouraging truth about relationship with God is that it’s meant to be life-giving, not duty-driven. Jesus invited people to abide in Him, find rest in Him, and experience abundant life through Him. The disciplines of prayer, Scripture, worship, and community aren’t burdens to bear but pathways to joy. When relationship with God feels dry or distant, it’s often because we’ve stopped doing the simple things that keep any relationship alive and vibrant.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I’ve allowed distance to grow between us. Life got busy, priorities shifted, and the disciplines that kept me close to You fell by the wayside. I don’t want to just know about You or go through religious motions. I want genuine, vibrant relationship with You.
Help me to prioritize time with You above the endless demands competing for my attention. Give me hunger for Your Word, consistency in prayer, and faithfulness in the small disciplines that maintain intimacy. When busyness tempts me to skip time with You, remind me that nothing is more important than this relationship.
Draw me close to You. Restore the joy of knowing You, the peace of Your presence, and the vitality that comes from abiding in Christ. Help me to remain in You like a branch in the vine, recognizing that apart from You I can do nothing but connected to You I can bear much fruit.
Thank You that You never drift from me, that You’re always ready to restore closeness, and that relationship with You is the greatest privilege of my life.
In Jesus’ precious Name, Amen.