Meditating On His Word Day And Night: How To Maximize Your Bible Reading
“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.” Charles Spurgeon
The Bible is never-ending with the truths it contains. You will learn something new no matter how often you return to scripture. With every reading, an example, fact, or story will emerge and reveal itself to you through the help of the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things about Christ (John 14:6).
Yet many of us struggle to read and study the Bible. We may sit down to read and find ourselves bored in a couple of minutes or confused at what is happening. Our minds begin to wander easily; before we know it, we’re back on social media, and the Bible lies closed by our side.
Where should we even begin?
Bible Reading And Study Doesn’t Have To Be Overwhelming
Humans tend to overcomplicate everything.
And we feel a deeper pressure to overcomplicate the Bible because it has a lot to do with our salvation and being right with God.
We can easily begin to worry that our very salvation is in trouble if we don’t understand everything in the Bible right away.
All of this leads us to frustration and sometimes doubt about how God sees us.
But don’t worry.
There is a simpler way to read the Bible that grows alongside your understanding.
All it takes is opening your Bible.
Here are a few simple steps to maximize your Bible reading.
The First Step To Maximizing Your Bible Reading Is To Simply Start Reading
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. - Joshua 1:8
Don’t overcomplicate anything. Just start reading.
Don’t know where to begin reading? Start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) that tell all about Jesus. Or start with the book of Psalms, which contains some of the best examples of prayer and interaction with God in the Bible.
You could even start with Genesis as an overview of God’s relationship with people.
It doesn’t matter where you begin. Just start reading.
Pick a book of the Bible and go for it. And don’t worry about understanding everything the first time you read it. Simply focus on finding one thing in the Bible that seems important to you. It could be a character in the Bible or something God said or did. What jumps out to you? What makes you think? What makes you wonder about the goodness of God?
If reading isn’t your strong suit, there are options to listen to the Bible. You can find easily accessible audio Bibles in apps like the YouVersion Bible app and Dwell. Many people find that listening to the Bible suits them better than reading it.
Do what is best for you. You can even read along in your physical or digital Bible as the audio Bible plays. This may help you to focus even more!
The Second Step To Maximizing Your Bible Reading Is To Listen To The Holy Spirit
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground. - Psalm 143:10
You might be surprised at how praying and inviting the Holy Spirit to join you in your Bible reading helps. You need a guide to help you understand the Bible as you read, and the Holy Spirit is the best one available.
As you read through the Bible, keep a continual conversation with the Holy Spirit going either in your head or out loud. Ask the Holy Spirit what a specific passage means, just like you would ask a friend.
Then pause and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. The Holy Spirit might not speak audibly, but you’ll know the Holy Spirit is with you when you get some revelation on what you’re reading.
Keep a journal or write notes in your phone or computer as your read and receive revelation. You won’t want to rely on your mind to remember. You can easily forget what the Holy Spirit reveals to you if you don’t write it down.
The Third Step To Maximizing Your Bible Reading Is To Read And Study In Christian Community
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. - Colossians 3:16
Since God created us to connect with one another, we must do so by reading and studying God’s word.
There are simple ways to do so, but all involve a church community. The early Christians met together often to read scripture, discuss what they read, sing hymns, and encourage one another (Acts 2:42, 46-47; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Timothy 4:13). We are supposed to continue that today.
Reading and studying scripture with others helps us to understand the Bible even better. We read individually and get a revelation that may be different from a friend who read the same scripture. When we share what we learned and what the Holy Spirit taught us, we understand even more. We also hold each other accountable to continue to read and study the Bible alongside living it out in our daily lives.
Reading and studying the Bible in a community is essential.
The Best Way To Maximize Your Bible Reading and Understanding Is To Join An Online Bible Study
Palmly offers online bible studies for men and women in your area. When you sign up to join a Christian community on Palmly, you are invited to a new social circle. You get to choose whether you want to join a bible study for women, a bible study for men, or a co-ed bible study.
Once you join, you get access to a vibrant community of people just like you who want to build relationships while learning more about God.
Find your perfect online community in minutes. Sign up here to get started.
Blessings,
-Steve
