“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8
This is about relationships.
First, you accept Jesus.
You say:
“Lord Jesus, I believe You died for me.
I believe You rose again.
I believe You’re coming back.
Forgive me for all my sins.
Cleanse me. Wash me. Make me whole.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.”
Once you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you are a child of God.
Now it’s time to grow closer.
Because without God, everything else is vanity.
“All is vanity.”
King Solomon had wealth.
Wisdom.
Women.
Power.
Influence.
And still he concluded without God, it’s empty.
Mama said money doesn’t grow on trees.
Daddy had his expectations.
Grandma Julie faced racial tension.
Human relationships are complicated.
Parents disappoint us.
Children rebel.
Spouses struggle.
Families disagree.
But when you draw near to God, something shifts.
You gain:
Clarity.
Wisdom.
Conviction.
Peace.
Teenagers, especially, need this foundation.
Because culture will tell you:
Follow your feelings.
Chase popularity.
Do what makes you happy.
But God says:
Purify your heart.
Cleanse your hands.
Don’t be double‑minded.
When you anchor yourself in Christ first, you won’t chase relationships to fill a void. You’ll enter them whole.
Parents, this matters for you too.
You can’t pour godly wisdom into your children if you’re spiritually empty.
Youth leaders, counselors, teachers, your influence multiplies when it flows from intimacy with God.
Draw near to God.
Because if He is not first, everything else becomes vanity.
And remember this:
Love God.
Love you.
And love people.
Even the hard ones.
Even your enemies.
That’s what Jesus said.
God bless, Shirah Chante, your relationship coach
P.S. This blog only captures part of the heart behind this episode. To hear the full teaching, the emotion behind Julie’s story, and the encouragement for teens and families, I invite you to listen to the entire show. There’s more revelation waiting for you.
Leave a Reply