Book Summary: “The Pursuit of God” by AW Tozer
Even though AW Tozer’s wrote it back in the 1940s, The Pursuit of God* is still as relevant as ever today. Why? Because it’s not about quick fixes or surface-level advice—it’s about diving deep into what it means to chase after and enjoy God. Here’s my summary of highlights, notes, and quotes from this timeless classic.
Have fun pursuing God (even when you already have Him).
Here’s the first thing Tozer wants you to know: knowing God isn’t just about sitting back and waiting for something to happen—it’s an active pursuit. He says,
“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love.”
Think about that for a second. When you really love something, you keep on pursuing it even though you already have it. Loving God can be that same, never-ending journey. it keeps going. And that’s the beauty of it. This pursuit isn’t about earning His love (you already have it!) but about enjoying Him more deeply everyday.
Enrich your love for God by letting go of lesser loves.
Tozer doesn’t sugarcoat things—he gets straight to the point. If you want to go deeper with God, you need to let go of anything in your life that’s taking His place. In one of the most memorable parts of the book, he says,
“The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul-poverty and abandonment of all things.”
It’s not easy to hear, is it? But think about it: what’s something in your life you’re holding onto so tightly that it’s keeping you from fully surrendering to God? Letting it go might just be the key to finding the freedom and joy you’ve been searching for.
Relax in God’s steadiness.
Have you ever felt rushed, overwhelmed, or like you’re running out of time? Life seems to move at a breakneck pace, and it’s easy to feel like you need to keep up. But Tozer offers a comforting reminder:
“God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.”
Think about that. While you might feel the pressure of deadlines and expectations, God doesn’t feel that pressure. When you trust in God’s timing, you can trade your frantic hustle for rest because He’s in control. You don’t need to force things to happen or worry that you’re falling behind. Instead, you can slow down, breathe, and allow His peace to fill you.
Enjoy community with other God-lovers.
What does it mean to be truly united as believers? A.W. Tozer paints a vivid picture with this analogy:
“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So if one hundred worshipers met together who were all looking to Christ, they’d be nearer to each other than they could ever be if they were to become ‘unity-conscious’ and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”
When we all individually align ourselves to God, we naturally gain
God is always accessible.
Do you ever feel like you’re reaching for God but can’t quite grasp Him? Tozer flips that idea upside down. He says,
“We never need to shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.”
Let that sink in. Right now, as you’re reading this, God is with you. You don’t have to go looking for Him—He’s already there, just waiting for you to notice. Tozer also reminds us,
“Not ‘God spoke,’ but ‘God is speaking.’ He is by His nature continuously articulate.”
God is always ready to speak to us. All we have to do is slow down and listen.
Enjoy basking in God throughout the day.
We often think of “having faith” as something we need to muster up from within ourselves, but Tozer says,
“Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.”
In other words, it’s not about trying harder or checking off all the right boxes—it’s about focusing your heart and mind on God and enjoying Him. It’s that easy.
Tozer also reminds us that worship isn’t just something you do on Sundays—it’s something you can do in every part of your life. He writes,
“Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called, and then his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry.”
Whatever you do—whether it’s cooking dinner, sitting in a meeting, or driving your kids to school—you can do it for God. Having that kind of mindset changes everything.
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