The Bible's Impact
“How do I read the Bible?” “Where do I start?” “Why should I read it?” I get asked these questions a lot, so I thought it would be fun for me to answer them and dive into why reading the Bible is so important in your walk with the Lord. I definitely am not perfect in this area and do not have all the answers, but I want to share with you some tips that have helped me in my faith journey and how reading the Bible has impacted my life!
First, why should you read your Bible? Simply put, to get closer to Jesus! We know that scripture is God-breathed and shows us His holy, faithful and unchanging character. Even though we can’t physically see and feel Him, we can read His words as a guide on how to fully live out our calling and walk closely with Jesus. It not only provides us direction in the way we should go, but it also provides us with the why. Why going down a specific path in life causes certain consequences and outcomes. Regularly reading God’s word realigns our thinking and helps us to grow in strength and maturity. What you read impacts you. It impacts the way you think and the way you feel. When you are spending time in the Word, you are feeding your spirit. When you prioritize feeding your spirit in this way, then you can trust that everything else (your emotions, desires and cravings) will all fall into place.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” When we let God speak to us through the Bible, we become complete and ready for whatever may come our way. We are called to be both hearers and doers of the Word. It not only teaches and guides us on how to live our own lives, but also equips us for every good work. The Bible is full of wisdom and insight on who God is and also who we are. The closer you are to the Lord, the more you can understand who he made you to be. Genesis 1:27 tells us, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” The more we know about God, the more we can find out about ourselves and the way we are called to live. Also, personally, the closer I get to God, the more I fall in love with Him! I see more of His heart every day and I am in constant awe of His unconditional love and how he pursues each of His children so intentionally.
“The Bible is so big and overwhelming. Where do I even start?” I get it. It can be hard and a little intimidating. First, I would suggest getting an actual physical copy of the Bible. This way you can highlight, underline and take notes on things that stick out to you when reading. As far as where to start, I would suggest starting with one of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. These 4 books, the first 4 books of the new testament, walk you through the story of Jesus’ life. They’re encouraging, inspiring and emotional all at the same time. A good one to start with is Matthew because it has 28 chapters in it so you could read one chapter a day every day for a month. Whichever book you choose, make it a priority to read a chapter each day and to be consistent in it!
Lastly, I want to leave you with this: you are likely going to feel challenged when reading the Bible. That’s a good thing! Being challenged in your faith creates opportunity for growth and sanctification. It makes you better and draws you closer to the Lord! Be encouraged when reading the Scriptures and stay faithful in this spiritual discipline!
Challenges:
Get a physical Bible. Like I mentioned earlier, if you don’t already have an actual Bible, I highly encourage you to get one. Yes, using the Bible app on your phone is great and is probably more convenient, but having a physical one makes such a difference and is so much more personal.
MEMORIZE. Memorizing scripture is so important! Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Hide Scripture in your heart so that you may know how to glorify God. I’ve heard that the best way to memorize something is to read it 3 times, write it down 3 times and say it out loud 3 times. This helps it to stick in your head! I also like to write it on my hand as a reminder and will continue to repeat it to myself throughout the day.
Be consistent. I know that it’s so easy for our days to get filled up with busy schedules, but I cannot stress how important it is to make time to read the Bible every day. Prioritize God’s word. Draw near to Him and everything else will fall into place. MAKE THE TIME!
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for a beautiful day. Thank you for the access that we have to the Bible, and that we have the ability to read your words and draw near to you. Thank you that we can cling to you while trying to navigate this life. I pray that we would continue to grow in discipline and to prioritize your Word in our every day lives. Even when our days are busy, may we make the time to spend with you. Thank you for grace when we fall short. I pray that you would continue to sanctify each and every one of us and that we would seek to look more like you every day. I know that none of us have it all figured out, but we praise you that we don’t have to. We can come to you, broken and in need of saving, and you will welcome us with open arms. We love you and we give you all the glory. In Jesus’ name! Amen!