Bible study is something that I have loved for quite a long time now. Not always, but I have now for years. I thoroughly enjoy digging deep into the truth found in Scripture, unpacking it verse by verse, and figuring out how I can apply it to my life. It thrills me.
When God’s Word becomes alive to me, the times when it seems to almost breathe into my soul, in those moments when it leaps right off the page and smacks me in the face—I live for that.
I am also fully aware of the fact that Bible study, as I’ve described it above, intimidates many. The fear of not being able to understand what you’re reading keeps far too many people away from the very words that were intended for their ears to hear, and instead of growing in our faith as we want to, our faith begins to collect dust along with our Bibles sitting on the shelf. While this is the case for many, it doesn’t need to be.
Here is a truth for you that I pray blows your mind and combats any discouragement you may be feeling towards the Bible:
God wrote a book, and He addressed it to you.
Knowing and understanding it is possible, because He intended it to be. He wants you to know Him, and this knowledge comes from time spent in His Word, His love letter to us. So, how should you approach it?
Right now, I’m in the middle of a study through the book of Romans. I’m not going through a workbook or attending a class. I am simply reading through it, one chapter per day. This is my daily quiet time with the Lord. Here’s how to study by asking two simple questions:
Read one chapter of Romans each day.
Journal my answers to these two questions:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God and who He is?
2. What, then, does this mean for me?
Do you see how simplistic and doable this approach is?
The first question addresses theology.
The second addresses practical application.
You can choose whichever book you would like, but when we read God’s Word, we should always be looking to answer these two, simple questions.
What does it tell me about God, and how should I apply this to my own life?
If we could approach God’s Word each and every day with a teachable heart such as this, a heart ready to learn, eyes and ears open to whatever He would say to us that day, I wonder if the fear of Bible study would quickly melt away as awe, inspiration, wonder, and an appetite for more steadily increased.
Friend, hear me in saying this to you today:
You CAN know God’s Word.
You CAN understand it.
And you most certainly CAN live it out.
I love this Cherie, guiding your readers into a simple way to study the Bible. For me, I must keep it simple or I end up doing nothing because I’m frustrated with the process of doing it “right!” Journaling is so helpful as it keeps us centered on God. Thank you for your faithfulness in being in God’s Word!