Intimacy with God doesn't happen automatically—we must desire it more than anything else around us. Having passion for Him is important. We must be hungry.
There's a story of a young man who approached Socrates one day as he sat by a lake. He greeted the wise philosopher, then told him he wanted to know how to gain the wisdom Socrates possessed. The young man told him he'd do anything to get it. After a moment, Socrates stood up and motioned for the young man to follow him. Interestingly, he walked right into the lake, until he was waist high in water. Then Socrates asked him what he really wanted. When the young man replied he wanted wisdom, Socrates pushed the young man's head under the water. The man struggled, then surfaced, wondering what the philosopher was up to. Again, Socrates asked him what he wanted. The man responded, "Wisdom." Again, Socrates shoved his head under the water. The man struggled longer, then came up for air. For the third time, Socrates asked the man what he really wanted. When he pushed his head under water this time, Socrates held it there for almost an entire minute. Finally, the man fought his way up, and gasped for air. Socrates asked him in that moment: What is it you want? This time the man was honest. He said, "I want air!" Socrates smiled and responded: "Well then, when you want wisdom as much as you wanted that breath of air—you shall get it."
So it is with intimacy with God. When we want it more than anything else—we shall get it.
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." -James 4:8
