Three Inches Closer
Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8 (NIV)
Did you know Hawaii drifts about three inches closer to Alaska every year? Amazing! The slow grind of tectonic plates beneath the Pacific nudges the islands northward just a few inches at a time. Three inches – barely the width of a smartphone.
And yet, over years and decades, those inches become miles. Movement that quietly changes the map.
That image has stuck with me while thinking about my relationship with God. Lately, I’ve been ending my days with a simple question: Where did I notice Jesus today? And just as honestly, Where did I miss Him? Where did I reflect His image? Where did I not?
What I realize is this: While I might be waiting for a spiritual earthquake or dramatic breakthrough, most of God’s work happens slowly, faithfully, inch by inch. As I have come nearer to God, He comes nearer to me mostly through ordinary moments.
After seasons of ministry, disappointment, unanswered prayer, or simple fatigue, it’s easy to slip into spiritual autopilot. We keep believing. We keep showing up. But we can stop taking the small steps forward and assume we’ve grown as much as we’re going to grow or come as close as God is going to let us get. We stop leaning in as intentionally as we once did.
Our faith and closeness to God rarely fades all at once. It just drifts away. Inch by inch. Not because God moves away from us, but because we gradually stop listening, stop seeking, stop choosing Him in the small, daily ways.
We don’t walk away – we get busy. We don’t rebel – we get distracted. We don’t say no – we just stop saying yes.
For Hawaii to move, powerful forces work beneath the surface. In the same way, when God’s Spirit stirs deeply within us, something begins to shift. But movement, whether personal or communal, requires our intention. It calls for surrender, renewed attention, and a willingness to change.
And that’s where we may hesitate.
Leaning in means letting go of what no longer serves God’s purposes. It means releasing habits, assumptions, or comforts that once helped but now hold us back. It’s trusting God to still lead us forward, even when the way feels unfamiliar. It means letting God continue to shape us into the image of His Son.
God is always moving, inviting, and drawing us nearer.
The only question is this: Will we take the next inch forward?
Reflect: Where have you grown spiritually comfortable instead of spiritually close? What small but costly step might God be asking you to take right now?
Pray: Lord, I don’t want to drift when You are calling me closer. Awaken what’s grown quiet in me. Give me the courage to keep choosing and leaning toward You … inch by inch, day by day. Amen.
By His Grace, Gloria Ashby Lay Leader