Does it matter if i read my bible?
By Drew Hunt
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
Ever been told to read your Bible more, then think to yourself, “cool, but why? And how?”
There are so many things competing for our attention these days. And a lot of the options can leave us still feeling empty. Or turn on any media outlet and you’ll quickly see that often times, fear is the hook being used to pull us in.
Just like our physical bodies, our minds and spirits need feeding every day. And just like a parent who knows their kiddos will grow healthy when they’re fed healthy food, our God wants to do the same-feed us spiritually and emotionally.
He has so much empathy for our weary wear and tear of daily life, which is why He’s eagerly waiting to help fill us daily with His life-giving messages of truth that nourishes our souls.
But here’s the deal, it’s on us to make the time. The writer of Proverbs gives such a great reminder in chapter 4 when it reminds us we have to guard our hearts This doesn’t mean put a wall around hearts like a fortress so nothing can get in or out. But instead, it’s an important reminder to closely monitor who and what we’re passing the mic to in our lives because what we allow in is what will flow out. And filling our hearts with God’s Word will never put us to shame.
Because we serve a God who adores us, we get to participate in the joy of relationship, not the rigors of a religion. And so we can read God’s Word out of delight, not duty, because it helps us discover new dimensions of His character and His heart for us.
Our God is ALIVE and so is His Word. It isn’t just some dusty, ancient, out of touch history book.
It’s a powerful tool God still uses to this day to communicate with His kids. And digging into it daily means we’re not only getting to know our Heavenly Father in new ways, but it’s going to create actual transformation by taking hold in our hearts, refreshing and reshaping how we do life.
When we offer up our minds and hearts to be filled by God’s Word each day, we’ll quickly find less space for distractions like fear and doubt to take hold.
Instead, hope is illuminated through the power of learning to hear our Father’s voice and the peace we so long for becomes our foundation.
So how can you get started? Below are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for not only getting into God’s Word but actually retaining what you read. Let’s gooo!
4 Tips for Reading the Bible:
-Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom as you read ( see Drew’s Bible reading prayer below)
-Look for God on every page; instead of just reading this and only asking “what does this mean for me?”, try first asking “God, what do You want me to know about You here?”
-Find a Bible reading resource (linked below)
-Get in community (see below)
Bible Reading Prayer: (courtesy of The Bible Recap)
Father, thank You for Your Word; as I read it
God, give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
Let any knowledge I gain help me love You and others more, and not puff me up.
Help me see something new about You that I’ve never seen before.
Correct any lies I believe about You or anything I misunderstand.
Direct my steps according to Your Word. Amen.
Reading Resources: maybe you love staying on a plan or stories really help a point stick in your memory. You’re in luck-there are so many great devotionals out there that offer a helpful jumping off point for digging into God’s Word. Devotionals will typically start with a verse, include a short message followed by a prayer and are meant to be done in a few minutes. Whereas a Bible study will include a deeper dive into a particular book or chapters of the Bible.
Here are just a few of our favorites resources to get you going:
Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today email devotions
Upon Waking by Jackie Hill Perry
Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff
You Version Bible App: quick note on this one, there are an endless library of devotionals on every topic as well as the entire Bible itself in several translations; there is even an audio option so you can LISTEN to the Bible while out for a run, sitting in the school pick up line or making Easy Mac. Praise the Lord for technology, right?
Community: like with any new habit, consistency can be tough if we’re trying to wing it on our own. We’re wired for community, so having people to cheer you on and keep you moving forward can be a game changer. Of course there is nothing better than face to face interaction that comes from plugging into a local church and/or small group. But online community can be powerful as well and many of the apps mentioned above like The Bible Recap, You Version and Proverbs 31’s First 5 have community groups built in. Win win!
