Intimacy: Drawing and Being Drawn – “Discipleship: The Simplicity and Purity of Devotion” – Chapter 8

Chapter eight of “Discipleship: The Simplicity and Purity of Devotion”, on cultivating real intimacy with God through communion, pursuing friendship with Him, and learning to recognize His voice over merely seeking His will.

Print edition available for purchase at cost through Lulu.com. If you’re following along in the workbook, this chapter is split across two sessions, with the second starting at “Seeking Him, Not Just His Will.”

Drawing Close through Communion

Communion, also called “The Lord’s Table” or “The Eucharist,” is done many different ways at various churches. Some do it weekly, monthly, annually, or only as the leadership feels the need. Some do a single loaf of bread for everyone, cubed pieces of bread, store bought crackers, or mass-produced wafers specifically for communion. Some use grape juice, others wine, and others still something else. It’s easy to get lost in the minutia of it all by looking for what’s “right,” but I want us to focus on the relational aspect here.

Luke 22:19–20 ()

[19] [Jesus] took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [20] After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus didn’t merely give His disciples some ritual to repeat, instead He gave them a way to remember His sacrifice in order to remain anchored in His covenant love. Communion is a shared meal that reminds us we’ve not only been united with Christ, but also with one another (). It’s a way to show that we’re “one body” in Him (), joined together in a “common union” of our faith. We come from different backgrounds, carry different burdens, and are at different stages of maturity, yet we’re receiving from the same Savior and standing on the same mercy.

However, while communion is profoundly … well … communal, it’s also deeply personal. Jesus spoke of a covenant that’s a sacred bond initiated by God, sealed through His sacrifice, and rooted in His promise to make us His people. The bread and the cup may be received together in a group, but they speak to each believer personally: He gave Himself for you. Each heart is individually invited to come openly before the Lord, to remember, and to give thanks.

In communion, we slow down long enough to let that truth sink beneath the surface. We remember that our standing with God isn’t built on our consistency, our maturity, or our feelings, but on the finished work of Christ. We’re declaring that our hope is in Jesus alone. It brings us quietly before the Savior Himself, where remembrance becomes gratitude, gratitude becomes surrender, and surrender deepens into intimacy.

1 Corinthians 11:27–30 ()

[27] So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against§ the body and blood of the Lord. [28] That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. [29] For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,‡ you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. [30] That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

1 Corinthians 11:27 Or is responsible for.
1 Corinthians 11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body.

This doesn’t mean we must “become worthy” before we take communion. If that were the standard, no one could come at all. Rather, we let the Lord search our hearts. We lay down hidden sin, bitterness, pride, and unbelief. We refuse to handle holy things casually. Communion is a place to say, “Lord, I agree with You. Cleanse me. Re-center me. I belong to You.”

The Lord’s Table humbles us. No one arrives there as superior. All come by mercy. All are sustained by grace. All are recipients of the same sacrifice. Bread and cup become a sacred reminder that the Son of God loves us and gave Himself for us. And as we return to the table again and again, we’re quietly formed into people who live closer to His heart and more eager for the day when we’ll sit with Him in His kingdom.

Matthew 26:29 ()

[29] [Jesus to His disciples:] “Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Full Knowledge of God and Christ

Knowledge without practical application just fills your head and makes you proud (). However, knowledge properly applied becomes true wisdom (). This is what the apostle Peter meant when he talked about us walking in the “full knowledge” of God and Christ.

2 Peter 1:2–3, 5–8 ()

[2] Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; [3] seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of Him who called us §by His own glory and §excellence. … [5] Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral §excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, [6] and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, [7] and in your godliness, §brotherly kindness, and in your §brotherly kindness, §love. [8] For if these things are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:3a Or to
2 Peter 1:3b Or virtue
2 Peter 1:5 Or virtue
2 Peter 1:7a Gr philadelphia
2 Peter 1:7b Gr philadelphia
2 Peter 1:7c Gr agape

In biblical Greek, there are several words translated as “knowledge.” When Jesus said to, “go away, I never knew you,” it was an intimate knowledge (). He sent them away because they didn’t have a real relationship with Him. In the passage above, however, we see two other forms. First, the “full knowledge” mentioned in the first and last verses is an experiential knowledge, meaning it goes beyond simple awareness or information into the idea of a deep, personal grasp of truth that’s been proven over and over again throughout your life. It’s this kind of knowing that comes from walking with God daily, seeing His faithfulness, and being shaped by His character.

By contrast, the word “knowledge” listed among the virtues in the middle of the passage is more of an understanding, insight, or discernment. This is the knowledge that we grow by intentionally learning. Peter shows us here that this kind of knowledge is meant to grow within a framework of transformation. It is not the end goal, but part of a process that leads us into something deeper.

What’s critical to take note of in this passage is the order. We don’t begin with the full experience and then add knowledge. Instead, we start with simple faith and build step by step across our spiritual journey into the “full experiential knowledge” Peter was speaking of here. It isn’t something that’s reserved for the intellectually elite, but for the faithful that “diligently apply themselves” to increasing these qualities. It is cultivated through a life that responds to God by trusting, obeying, persevering, and loving. In other words, obedience and growth are the pathway into deeper relationship with God and others.

You see, this passage demonstrates that the closeness of your relationship with God is directly proportional to your ability to represent Him well. If you want to love your spouse and kids more, you need a deeper love relationship with God. Why? Because God IS love (). Simply put, draw closer to Him and you’ll be more like Him. That’s why the greatest commandment is first to love God with EVERYTHING, then second is to love others (). It’s not just because it’s more important to love Him above all else, it’s because apart from that, you CAN’T truly love others.

People often struggle with knowing their purpose or destiny. Ultimately, this seems to be rooted in them not wanting to feel like they’ve wasted their life. So, I love that this passage ends by stating that if you pursue increasing these virtues, that they’ll “render you neither useless nor unfruitful.” In other words, each step of diligence, each act of love, each exercise of Spirit-empowered discipline (self-control) shapes a legacy that may be unseen by the world, but is fully visible to God. It prepares our hearts to experience an ever-deepening relationship with Christ.

John 14:21 ()

[21] 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.”

Those Who Walked with God

There are several places in the New Testament where it talks about us “walking in The Spirit” (; ). This is a Christian version of a concept that echoes all the way back to the first part of Genesis.

Genesis 3:8a ()

[8] Then they heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day …

This passage seems to describe something familiar, not alarming or unusual. The text doesn’t say God descended dramatically or revealed Himself unexpectedly. He simply walked, and they recognized the sound of it. In the ancient world, the phrase “in the cool of the day” was a reference to when activity resumed after the heat of the day. This implies a recurring time, not a random moment, showing that God intended regular, personal fellowship with humanity from the beginning.

Genesis 5:22–24 ()

[22] Then Enoch walked with God 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. [23] So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. [24] Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

In a long genealogical list, we see the usual parts for how long Enoch lived and when his kids were born. But, in a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment there’s “walked with God” … twice?!? This phrase implies an ongoing and intimate fellowship. It wasn’t a single encounter, but a sustained life of alignment and communion with God. There’s a lot of mystery wrapped in these verses apart from that phrase, and the New Testament only makes it more mysterious.

Hebrews 11:5 ()

[5] By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for prior to being taken up, he was approved as being pleasing to God.

Approved. Pleasing to God. Wow! I mean, what else could you ask for in an epitaph? Not only this, but his walk was so consistent that death itself didn’t interrupt it. God “took him away,” signifying His divine approval of their closeness. Enoch modeled a life where obedience, awareness, and fellowship are inseparable, pointing us toward the intimacy God intends for those who walk faithfully with Him.

Genesis 6:9 ()

[9] These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, §blameless among those in his generations; Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 Or having integrity; lit complete, perfect

Noah’s walk with God is portrayed against a backdrop of widespread corruption and violence. Here, walking with God takes on a moral and relational dimension: it’s not only fellowship but also faithfulness in the midst of a hostile world. Noah’s righteousness and obedience demonstrate that walking with God includes aligning our choices, actions, and priorities with His standards. It reminds us that God’s companionship often calls for courage and persistence, as He invites His followers to live distinctively, even when society as a whole has lost its way.

Exodus 33:11a ()

[11] Thus Yahweh used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. …

Moses’ walk with God demonstrates relational intimacy paired with responsibility. Moses not only led God’s people, but also spent time in deep communion, interceding on their behalf. Being called a “friend of God,” as was Abraham (), reveals a unique access born from faithfulness, obedience, and trust. Walking with God is relational, not transactional. It’s continual dialogue, mindful presence, and ongoing obedience to whatever He calls you to do. Moses’ life shows that God provides guidance and reveals critical aspects of His plans to those who genuinely seek Him.

I realize that they all metaphorically walked with God, in the sense that they lived their lives in obedience, but I think the bigger point in all of these verses is that they carved out time to build their relationship with God. This can look different for different people, but for me, I like to go on “God walks.” Sometimes these walks consist of praying, other times they’re paired with near and dear worship songs, and oftentimes they’re a form of “ear training” to hear His voice. Find what draws you closer to Him and make sure to include time to routinely include that in your journey.

So, what does that look like on an ordinary Tuesday? It means we stop treating work, errands, decisions, and ambitions as the “neutral” parts of life where God is politely kept at the edge, and start seeing them as places where His guidance and wisdom actually belong. Many people, even sincere believers, can slip into handling the so-called “secular parts of life” the same way unbelievers would, by reason, instinct, and natural ability alone. But if God truly is Lord of your life, and not merely a Sunday category, then the janitor cleaning a hallway, the computer programmer writing code, the teacher shaping young minds, and the lawyer weighing words and consequences all have the same invitation: seek God’s counsel, ask for His direction, and welcome His presence in these moments as well.

Deuteronomy 5:32–33 ()

[32] So you shall be careful to do just as Yahweh your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. [33] In all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, you shall walk, that you may live and that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.

Standing at Our Tent Instead of His

In the previous section, I mentioned Moses being called a friend of God. However, understanding the events surrounding that statement is essential for feeling the impact and stark contrast of it.

After Moses made several shorter trips up Mount Sinai to meet with God, Exodus 24 tells us that Moses went up again for forty days and nights. During this time, he received detailed instructions for the tabernacle’s construction, priestly regulations, and the covenant renewal. Right before coming back down, Exodus 32 talks about the infamous “golden calf” incident with Israel. The people, grew impatient, turned to something visible and controllable—a “god” of their own making—rather than trusting the unseen God who’d rescued them from oppressive slavery in Egypt just a couple months earlier (). Then, Exodus 33 contains the well-known passage about Moses getting to see God’s glory.

But, nestled between Moses interceding for Israel because of their idolatry with the golden calf and him being shown God’s glory, we have The Tent of Meeting. This isn’t the fully constructed Tabernacle described later and which is also sometimes called by the same name (), but it’s a temporary place Moses set up outside Israel’s camp, sitting there as an open invitation for anyone seeking to draw close to God.

Exodus 33:7–11 ()

[7] Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought Yahweh would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. [8] And it happened whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. [9] And it happened whenever Moses entered the tent, that the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and §Yahweh would speak with Moses. [10] And all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent. And all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. [11] Thus Yahweh used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. Then §Moses would return to the camp, and his attendant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Exodus 33:9 Lit He
Exodus 33:11 Lit he

It’s so subtle that I missed it many times. “Everyone who sought Yahweh would go out to the tent of meeting … whenever Moses went out to the tent … all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent.” The people of Israel wouldn’t make the journey. Moses and Joshua would make the sacrifice to go out to the tent to meet with God, but everyone else stayed home. They had the same opportunity as Moses, but they chose comfort and convenience.

I mean, I guess they at least got up from whatever they were doing and bowed in worship … but … “each at the entrance of his tent.” That’s the equivalent of having God visibly show up within walking distance, heading to your front door, saying “Hallelujah”, and then going right back to watching TV. In fact, if you rewind a couple verses, you see that they’d only “gaze after Moses until he entered the tent.” It’s like they said, “Show’s over. Just a cloud pillar now, no biggie. I’m sure Moses will let us know if there’s anything new that we need to do.” … Empty religion based on an empty relationship.

But, before we get too excited about pointing fingers at them, we should take a closer look at our own lives (). How often do we do the same thing—settling for proximity to God instead of pursuing His presence? We might read about Him, talk about Him, sing to Him, or even pause to “stand at the entrance” in moments of worship … but do we ever actually step out to meet Him. We often rely on spiritual leaders in our lives to “do the work” of connecting with God, and then have them let us know what they found.

For Christians, the invitation is always there to meet with God, even more so than it was for Israel! God isn’t down the road. No. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us (). Full access. Right here. Right now. Always. The only “traveling” we may have to do is to our prayer closet.

Matthew 6:6 ()

[6] But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

The “inner room” mentioned here is literally “inner/private chamber”. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that your heart is made up of chambers. So, while some people may have a literal prayer closet or some other proverbial Tent of Meeting, it’s really so you can get away from the noisy distractions of this world and encounter God by letting Him into the innermost and private places of the throne of your heart.

Let’s go back to Exodus now. Besides Moses, the only other person mentioned as actually going to The Tent of Meeting is Joshua. He not only sought God, but refused to leave The Tent! He wasn’t the covenant mediator, he wasn’t the one receiving The Law, and yet he positioned himself as close as he could to the presence of God. Long before Joshua followed in Moses’ footsteps to lead Israel (), we see him here, pursuing God and learning to dwell in His presence.

Psalm 27:4, 6b ()

[4] The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. … … [6] At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.

Led by The Spirit

In Hebrew and Greek, the word for “spirit” is the same word as “breath” and “wind.” So, when referencing the Holy Spirit, it could just as easily be translated any of those ways as well. Some Bible versions like choose to go with “Spirit-Wind” as a blend of two concepts. This is what makes Jesus’ statement to Nicodemus so poetic, in what I consider my “life verse.”

John 3:8 ()

[8] The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

The “breeze” of The Holy Spirit comes in various directions and intensities. Sometimes He’s the wind at your back to push you along, other times He’s the wind at your face because you need a refreshing breeze, and other times still, He’s a wind of resistance. The guiding of the Holy Spirit often starts as an impression, then it moves to words, and sometimes even beyond words!

“Rustling” is that first, almost easy-to-miss stirring, where the leaves are whispering that something unseen is near and moving (). It’s that first stage for a lot of us: a gentle inner nudge. It’s that verse or song lyric that won’t let go of you. It’s the quiet conviction that shows up without condemnation.

God “flutters the spirit” of people in order for us to hear Him better. It’s how He aligns our spirit with His; drawing it closer and aligning it with His Spirit-Wind. Often times, it’s something that pushes us beyond our comfort zone. It’s that tug to turn around do that thing that came to mind and you resisted, maybe even argued against internally, because of fear or embarrassment. Scarily, these moments are often actually arguing with The Holy Spirit, but thankfully God is very kind and patient with us!

The challenging part is that God created people to recognize patterns. That’s why He wrote the Bible to be memorize-able by using repetition, rhyming, and alliteration. At the same time, hearing in patterns is part of the reason we often “cut him off short,” why we get stuck in ruts, and why our “brains take over” instead of continuing to listen. There are times when this rustling is all that we give Him a chance to stir within us, leaving us with only, “I feel like God is leading me to X.”

If we can learn to quiet our minds and lean into The Holy Spirit’s flow, then the rustling becomes a more pronounced “stirring.” As we tune our ears, we become quicker at recognizing the sound of His leading through prayer, Scripture, quiet moments, and wise counsel. This is why we must become familiar with His voice if we are to follow Him.

John 10:3–5, 27 ()

[3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. [5] They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” … [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

That means we must quiet our minds and seek His counsel in the small, daily things. If we just seek Him in the big things, we’ll have a hard time knowing His voice. It’s hearing Him in the midst of the thousands of little choices that train our spiritual ears to recognize Him and have the humility and courage to obey Him regardless of our human reasoning. To shout like David, “Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!” ().

And eventually, by grace, aligning with The Holy Spirit turns into “flowing.” Moving in unison with The Spirit shifts our hearts so that obedience feels less like pushing a boulder uphill and more like stepping into the air current God’s already set in motion. It can be very challenging to stay in sync, however. The Holy Spirit is compared to a dove (), because it doesn’t take much to send Him to flight. It’s not that He’s timid or easily scared off, it’s that we can easily plow through a gentle breeze instead of being carried by it. This is how we drift off course.

Isaiah 30:18–19, 21 ()

[18] So the Lord must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
[19] O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,
you will weep no more.
He will be gracious if you ask for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
… [21] Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.

Following the Spirit’s guidance is very important, but Jesus said that we must worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (). People tend to pick one side or the other, when it’s really more like a spectrum. All “truth” and you get legalism. All “spirit” and you get empty and unfounded hope. With both, however, you get more of both … more truth and more Spirit. When you’re truly hearing from the Holy Spirit, what you hear will be confirmed with Scripture. This is how you get to know Jesus’ voice. It’s like a system of checks and balances for staying in alignment with Him.

Seeking Him, Not Just His Will

We should always want to do God’s will. We should desire to please Him, because His will is best for us and for others. But, being overly focused on seeking His will instead of seeking *Him—*as pure of a motivation as it can seem—is just another form of idolatry. This is because godliness has always been about connecting our hearts with God’s (), not performing some sort of robotic obedience. Our obedience is about desiring to please the lover of our soul (), not appeasing a hostile or indifferent deity.

Colossians 1:9–10 ()

[9] So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. [10] Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

The implication of this passage is that God doesn’t want to just equip you with some level of wisdom so you can “figure it all out on your own.” We often think the evidence of growth and maturity is autonomy and independence, but the Bible pushes in the opposite direction. Maturity in Scripture doesn’t move us away from relying on God, but further into it. James goes as far as to say “we don’t have because we don’t ask” (). He doesn’t say, “because we don’t make it happen ourselves.” The point is that He gives wisdom in a way that draws us into deeper fellowship with Him.

It’s not that we’re constantly asking to be wiser with a wisdom like God’s. There’s a part of that which can be great (), but there’s also a part that’s eerily closer to The Tree of Knowledge than it is to The Tree of Life (). The danger isn’t in longing for wisdom, but in wanting to hold it as something we can wield on our own, apart from surrender to God. So, instead, we should be asking Him to speak His wisdom over and through us in every situation. It’s not building us up into a glorious thing, but merely into being an uninhibited conduit of His wisdom and glory.

James 1:5–8 ()

[5] If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. [6] But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. [7] Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. [8] Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

God’s plan is eternal, unchanging, and rooted in His will alone. Nothing surprises Him, and nothing can overturn what He’s already purposed. He doesn’t change in His nature or become uncertain (; ). He isn’t being shaped by history as it unfolds, but He’s shaping history as His will unfolds through it. In other words, whatever we receive from Him is first determined by who He is, not by what we ask or produce.

Romans 9:15–18 ()

[15] For God said to Moses,“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” [16] So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. [17] For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” [18] So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Within His unchanging plan, our prayers and obedience truly matter because they’re part of how He brings His will to pass. They don’t force His hand, but He invites us into His work to reveal His heart and to deepen our trust in Him. He doesn’t need our effort in order to accomplish His purposes, yet He delights to weave our response into what He’s doing. In other words, He’s never controlled or limited by us, yet He genuinely involves us.

At the same time, God allows us to make choices, choices that enhance or inhibit blessings for ourselves and others. That tension isn’t a contradiction to erase, but it’s part of the mystery and wonder of walking with a sovereign God. Those seemingly parallel truths meet somewhere beyond the horizon.

It was because of God’s persistent grace that Lot was spared from destruction in Sodom, yet God also honored Abraham’s plea in doing so (). Likewise, it was because of God’s abundant mercy that He continually chose to spare Israel despite their many rebellions, yet He also worked through Moses’ intercession to show that mercy ().

Through these events, God purposely allowed His own character to be brought into question by those He trusted, so He could reveal more of His holy and compassionate heart to them (and to us). We bring God His own words, not because He’s forgetful, but because we are forgetful. Prayer often aligns our hearts with the promises of God, even as we ask Him to behave true to Himself. He stirs the mediator to pray; and in that real exchange, mercy is displayed.

Choosing the Greater Blessing

2 Kings 13:15–19 ()

[15] And Elisha said to [King Joash], “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. [16] Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, then Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. [17] And he said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said, “Yahweh’s arrow of salvation, even the arrow of salvation over Aram; for you will strike the Arameans at Aphek until you have consumed them.” [18] Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stood still. [19] So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have consumed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.”

Many people teach that the point of this passage is to shoot all of the arrows that God gives you, and maybe even go get some more. However, if you look closely, King Joash was only told to shoot one arrow and then was told to just strike the ground with the other arrows. Either way, the problem wasn’t his lack of relentlessness, but that he consistently lacked in responding wholeheartedly to God’s instruction (; cf. ). Again, it’s not that he should’ve beaten the arrows into dust, but that he only struck the ground a couple times and then just stood there. When instead, he should’ve kept striking the ground with the arrows until God had Elisha tell him to stop, as Elisha had already said in the previous verse that Joash would strike his enemies “until he consumed them.”

The same principles apply to us. While it’s true that God doesn’t want us to “do the minimum,” going above and beyond what God asks isn’t pleasing to Him either, as under- and overachieving are both disobedient. If we blow through all of our “arrows” (be they time, energy, finances, etc.), we’ll have nothing left for other opportunities that God may be calling us to help out with, or miss them outright. So, we must hear Him telling us when to start, when to keep going, and also when to stop.

Striking this balance on our own can be challenging. For example, you were called to be royal (). So, we shouldn’t live in a scarcity or poverty mindset. A poverty mindset chooses the option that’s free or cheaper (at least in the short term). The scarcity mindset chooses anything and everything that’s available now, because it might not be available later. Both of these mindsets are settling for less, instead of accepting the blessing of God’s best for you and trusting in His provision (). At the same time, you’re still called to be a wise steward (). So, we don’t have free reign to always choose expensive things and abundance either. Again, it’s a call to listen to God’s voice in the moment, because sometimes that may mean spending more for what is truly wise or joyful, but other times it may mean choosing the simpler or cheaper option with gratitude.

Philippians 4:11–13 ()

[11] Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. [12] I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. [13] For I can do everything through Christ,§ who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 Greek through the one.

Sometimes when seeking God for direction, it can feel like He’s telling you that either option is fine. This can be because you’ve already made up your mind as to what you’re going to do … which is dangerous ground. Other times, it can be because He wants you to choose what you want between two genuinely good “doors.” That can feel strangely unsettling. We almost wish one option was obviously bad, because then the choice would be easier.

In times like these over the years, I’ve started to ask a follow-up question: “Father, which choice leads to the greater blessing?” Not merely, “Which one makes my life easier?” or, “Which one gives me more stuff?” but, “Which one most deeply aligns my heart with Yours, serves others more fully, and makes more room for Your presence in my life?” He’s often reiterated that He’s willing to extend grace either route, but every single time of asking this, He’s given me a clear answer. Very rarely has He actually said what that blessing would be, just that it will come. That’s good enough for me!

A person can take either of two honorable jobs, move to either of two good cities, or say yes to either of two meaningful opportunities. Neither is sin. Neither is rebellion. But one may form in us a deeper dependence on God, create more space for love, or position us to bless others in ways we cannot yet see. This is where discernment moves from mere decision-making and becomes devotion. The point is that we’re not just avoiding the bad, but we’re choosing the path where our hearts say, “Father, whatever brings me closer to You!”

Exodus 33:1–3, 15–17 ()

[1] The Lord said to Moses, “Get going, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Go up to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I told them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ [2] And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. [3] Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey. But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I did, I would surely destroy you along the way.” … [15] Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. [16] How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” [17] The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”

A Sacrifice of Praise

Pursuing God isn’t just about desire; it also carries a cost. This cost isn’t always in dramatic, outward ways, but in the quiet choices that shape our life. Salvation is a free gift from God, but it will cost “easy” things like pride and comfort. It will also cost harder things like time, money, and energy. It may even cost very hard things like relationships with family and friends. It’s the cost of time set aside, comfort interrupted, pride laid down at the feet of the cross, hopes and dreams abandoned.

Luke 9:23–25 ()

[23] Then [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [24] If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [25] And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”

Following Jesus was never framed as a casual addition to life, but as a complete reordering of it. The cost of following Christ is not meant to scare believers, but to clarify the depth of commitment required. Yes, His burden is light (), but carrying your own cross (an instrument of execution) isn’t easy. It distinguishes those who merely admire Jesus from those who are willing to surrender everything to Him. It’s being ready to “die to self” at any moment, relinquishing control, and choosing God’s path over our own. Every choice, every word, every action reflects a heart that has yielded its own agenda to follow Him. Carrying the cross daily is simply living that truth moment by moment.

Galatians 2:20 ()

[20] My old self has been crucified with Christ.ⓘ It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 Some English translations put this sentence in verse 19.

What makes this even more challenging is that it’s not only a battle against that part of us that’s content with “standing at the entrance of our own tent,” as mentioned earlier in the chapter. It’s also a battle for the part of us that that must still worship God in the midst of intense suffering, because we know that God is enthroned on the praises of His people ().

Hebrews 13:15 ()

[15] Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

A continual sacrifice of praise that proclaims our allegiance. Woah. That’s deep! Reflect on that for a moment. …

That’s not merely overcoming inconvenience. It’s fighting through the decades-long fatigue and crippling anxiety to go worship Him at church, knowing that He’s still sovereign, despite all the prayers for healing. It’s praising His holy name in the hospital room as you hold your dead baby that took years to conceive, or when holding the hand of your beloved spouse that lost the battle to cancer, knowing in the core of your soul that God is still good, and holy, and righteous, and merciful.

It’s not denial of pain—it’s recognition of His presence and goodness despite the pain. It’s worship that doesn’t wait for feelings to catch up, for outcomes to improve, or for life to align with our expectations. It’s lifting up the voice of praise as an altar of trust, letting God inhabit the very worship that costs us the most. That’s where praise stops being dutiful and becomes transformational.

This is why Paul said to “always be ready to give an answer for the hope that’s within you” (). It’s not about being scientifically and logically astute enough to “argue people into The Kingdom” by elegantly answering all their challenging questions. No. If anything it’s the exact opposite of that, by simply sharing the impact of the victorious news of the cross of Christ in your life (), despite the challenging questions. It’s about people seeing you hold onto your faith, “even when there’s no reason for hope” (). Their minds don’t have a category for you continuing to place your trust in this God that they either don’t believe in, or that they don’t deem is good, because of all the brokenness in and around them.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 ()

[17] Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
[18] yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
[19] The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,§
able to tread upon the heights.(For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

Habakkuk 3:19 Or He gives me the speed of a deer.

The Simplicity and Purity of Devotion

Here we are at the end of the last chapter. It’s hard to know what to say at the end of a book like this without sounding sentimental or too repetitive, but it also seems worth summarizing a bit to wrap things up. So, due to the cyclical nature of this book, I want to end by going back to the book’s title.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ()

[3] But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

This verse is where the book gets its subtitle and has been a strong inspiration for my approach to writing it. Ultimately, every chapter has been soaked in prayerful pleas that God would write the book that He wanted instead of me just talking about what I think the whole time. Anyway, the point of this verse (and I would say Christianity itself) is that sincere devotion to Christ can easily get over-complicated by us and sent off-track by Satan’s decoys. The Christian journey is simple, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s easy.

At the end of it all, it’s about pleasing a Lover (). We love because He first loved us (). We love Him very much, because we know that He’s forgiven us of very much (). Since we love Him, we will obey Him (). This obedience doesn’t cause God to start loving us. No. It’s His love that’s the catalyst. His love transforms us. So, it’s not a romanticized sentiment or indulgent permissiveness that’s detached from holiness, truth, repentance, and covenant faithfulness. One of the ways that we love God is by loving those that He created (), especially other believers ().

How we live out that love is by walking in the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us (). There’s magnificent freedom in that, but it’s not the kind of freedom our flesh imagines. The Spirit leads us into a kind of love that asks deeper questions than, “Am I allowed to do X?” He teaches us to ask, “Is this beneficial to myself and others? Does this help me love the person in front of me well?” It’s the freedom of a heart that’s no longer trying to get away with something. As devotion to Christ becomes simpler and purer, His love working in and through us begins to govern our choices as it shapes us to better represent Him to others.

1 Corinthians 10:23–24 ()

[23] All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. [24] Let no one seek his own good, but that of the other person.

That kind of other-centered freedom sounds beautiful on paper, but it becomes very personal when the Spirit begins uncovering what we have protected within the dark corners of our heart. There are dark areas in our souls that we shut Him out of, often without realizing the true extent of it. We love those particular areas of darkness rather than the light () and try to hide them or even try to hide in them. Sometimes we hold on with white knuckles because we feel it’s part of our identity. However, if we continue to truly pursue Him, His light will leak into these areas and chip away at the darkness ().

Most of the time when there’s an area God is working on in us, He lets us do it at our pace, but with gentle tugs toward Him. There are other times, however, where He’s unrelenting in His pursuit of our holiness in a certain area. There’s simply no escape. It feels like we must either address it with Him and get true healing, or be blinded by The Light. If we’re honest, that can feel almost severe at first, but He’s like a loving surgeon who refuses to ignore what’s slowly harming us. He’s not exposing us to shame us, as that’s The Devil’s playbook. No. God’s bringing what’s lived in the dark into His presence so it can finally lose its power.

Psalm 18:28 ()

[28] You light a lamp for me.
The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

Sometimes His persistence doesn’t look like immediate relief. Sometimes it looks like an invitation into a deeper kind of surrender, the kind that keeps us with Him instead of sending us running from Him. In these moments, God wants us to wrestle with Him, holding on, refusing to let go until we receive His blessing ().

Though it’s not about receiving some gift or riding some spiritual high—glorious as they might be—it’s about breaking through to a deeper level of the relationship. In that holy tension, He begins dismantling the stubborn independence we once mistook for strength. He makes room in us for something better, more of His heart, more of His strength, more of His life. That should always be our pursuit as Christians: less of me, more of Him.

James 4:8, 10 ()

[8] Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. … [10] Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Chapter Resources

Walking with God: How to Hear His Voice by John Eldredge shows that life with God is meant to be relational and Spirit-led, rather than formulaic. Eldredge invites readers to slow down, listen, and notice how God is actively involved in everyday moments. It is chock full of tips for communicating back and forth with God, and even recovering when we didn’t “get it right” in the moment. Check it out if you want to learn how to walk attentively with God, making space for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in prayer and decision-making in both the big and small decisions of daily life.

Ephesians 5:8–11, 13 ()

[8] for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light [9] (for the fruit of that light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), [10] §trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. [11] And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even §expose them. … [13] But all things become visible when they are §exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

Ephesians 5:10 Lit proving what
Ephesians 5:11 Or reprove
Ephesians 5:13 Or reproved

A prayer:

Loving Father,

Thank You for being near, even when I am distracted. Thank You for not giving up on me when my heart wanders, when my mind is crowded, and when my attention is pulled in a hundred different directions. You are patient with me in ways I don’t deserve, gentle in ways I often don’t expect, and faithful in every season.

Lead me, Lord, so that I can better reflect Your character and Kingdom everywhere I go, in everything I say, and all that I do. I want to show the world Your heart, because they need it so badly.

Make me attentive to Your voice in the ordinary moments. Teach me to recognize Your leading in the quiet, in the pressure, in conversations, in interruptions, in decisions that I think are small, and in burdens that feel heavy. Form a heart in me that doesn’t just want Your help, but wants You.

Don’t let me be so “deaf from my busyness” that I HAVE to be woken up in the middle of the night to hear You. Don’t let me be so stubbornly independent that I HAVE to be “knocked in the head” to be submissive to you.

If I walk through ease, keep me dependent. If I walk through suffering, keep me anchored. If I’m hidden, keep me faithful. If I’m seen, keep me pure. Let my life become a quiet witness that You are good, holy, merciful, and worth following.

Here I am. All of me. Surrendered fully to you. Come what may.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Epilogue

Being that discipleship is about learning by example as you “do life” together with a mentor, I pray that you’ve had someone in your life that’s been guiding you along with your journey through this book. I also hope that you’ve found this book helpful in your Christian walk and that you’ll consider either re-reading, re-gifting, or discussing this book with others, so that it can continue to be an instrument in furthering God’s Kingdom.

The Workbook

The free Discipleship companion workbook PDF gives this chapter two sessions rather than one, being led by The Spirit and then simple devotion, so neither half gets rushed. Each has thought-provoking questions, relatable activities, and practical exercises for making it real.