Many of us are waiting for a burning bush.

We want God to be unmistakably clear, to interrupt our ordinary lives with something dramatic that tells us exactly where to go and what to do next. We ask questions like, “What’s next for me?” or “What is God’s will?” hoping for a moment that removes all doubt and hesitation. And while God certainly can speak that way, I’ve learned something over the years that often goes unnoticed. Most people aren’t lacking direction. They’re lacking proximity.

I often tell people that they are surrounded by burning bushes. God is not distant, silent, or hiding. The problem is not that He isn’t speaking, but that we aren’t climbing the mountain to meet Him. Moses didn’t encounter God while passing by casually. He turned aside. He drew near. He paid attention. And in the same way, God has already made Himself known to us. He has given us a 66-book love letter that reveals His heart, His character, His ways, and His voice. Yet we often overlook it while asking Him to speak.

If we’re honest, many of us know far more about the things that matter to us than we do about the God we say matters most. We are deeply informed about entertainment, sports, hobbies, and trends. We know the stories, opinions, and arguments of people we admire, follow, or even disagree with. We will read article after article that supports our perspective or feeds our frustration. We will invest hours learning about the latest thing that captures our interest. And yet, when it comes to God, our knowledge often remains shallow.

We say we know Him. But do we really? Not just knowing of Him. Not being familiar with Christian language or Bible stories. But knowing Him in the way a relationship is meant to be known. Knowing His heart. Recognizing His voice. Understanding how He responds to fear, obedience, failure, and faith. A relationship cannot be sustained on secondhand information, and neither can our walk with God.

There’s a question that quietly reveals the depth of this. What has God spoken to you from His Word lately? Not something you heard in a message or saw shared online, but something He personally pressed into your heart as you spent time with Him. When was the last time you slowed down enough, quieted your soul, and created space to listen instead of rushing ahead? God still speaks, but His voice is often heard in stillness, not in noise.

I want to offer a challenge as we step into this year. Let this be the year we stop chasing signs and start pursuing presence. The year we stop asking God to show us the future and instead commit to knowing Him more deeply right now. The year we shift our goal from gathering information about God to cultivating intimacy with Him. 

Because when you truly know Him, direction follows naturally. Wisdom grows. Trust deepens. And obedience becomes less about clarity and more about relationship.

So how do we begin to truly know Him?

It’s not complicated, but it is intentional.

Open His Word. Not to rush through it. Not to check a box. But to meet with Him. Read slowly. Read honestly. Read expectantly. And before you do, ask Him to open your eyes and your heart to what He wants to show you. Ask Him to speak. Ask Him to reveal Himself, not just information.

As you read, pay attention to what stirs, challenges, comforts, or unsettles you. Sit with it. Let it shape you. Let it confront you. Let it remind you of who God is and who you are becoming. God’s Word is living, and when we come to it with humility and hunger, He meets us there.

And then be still. Not every moment needs noise. Not every prayer needs words. Sometimes knowing God means creating space to listen, trusting that He is present and attentive, even in the quiet.

That’s how relationship grows. Not in intensity, but in consistency. Not in perfection, but in pursuit.

Let this be the year you open the Bible not looking for answers alone, but for God Himself. 

When you seek Him, truly seek Him, you will find that He has been speaking all along.