It can be tough to get into the habit of opening up God's word and reading daily. But try. Even one scripture every day to start. It's the most important and rewarding thing you will read all day. It is so worth it!
God's word is not always easy to understand, and it can be challenging. Try these 7 tips to help you out:
1) Pray for understanding. God will never forsake the asking for knowledge concerning his word. He will give Holy Spirit the those who are sincerely seeking. He will give understanding to those wanting to draw close to him!
2) Ask for help. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help in understanding God's word. If you were lost in a strange town and finding your way through it meant your very life, you would surely ask someone for guidance. We are, in a sense, lost in this world. trying to find our way through. Do the right thing. Make the right choices. Essentially, taking in knowledge means our everlasting life (John 17:3). Do not be afraid to ask. After praying for guidance, ask a sincere Bible scholar for help with understanding. It's so worth it!
3) If you can only read one scripture per day, then read one. If you can read an entire chapter, do so. Chances are, if you commit to one scripture, you will find yourself reading on. Very soon, it will become a habit, and you will look forward to the spiritual food that you are receiving every day. Just as we need food daily to keep our bodies healthy and strong, we also need our spiritual food to keep our spiritual needs fulfilled and our relationship with God strong. We get that feeding through his word, the Bible.
4) Meditate (consider deeply) what you read. Quality is better than quantity. All scripture is inspired and beneficial for teaching (2 Tim. 3:16), so enjoy what you read and think about why it is useful. What is this scripture telling me? What can I learn from it? How can I apply it in my own life? How can I use it to teach others?
5) Take notes. If you're a note-taker, keep a notebook close-by and take notes as you read. Note down things that stood out to you. Note down details that you don't quite understand and would like to research a little further. Some people understand much better what they read when they take notes.
6) Set aside an exact time every day for your Bible reading. Actually schedule it in. This will help you commit and remember this very important "appointment". Essentially, "buy out the opportune time" (Eph. 5:16). Give God time that you specifically and specially set aside for him. Penciling in time for the Creator of the Universe? Profound!
7) Keep a calendar close by that you can mark each day that you read from the Bible. Not only does it remind you to do so (it's hard to remember to do something when it is not yet a habit), but it will also encourage you as you see the days marked off adding up and getting more consistent as the weeks go by.
8) Stay positive. Do not allow yourself to get discouraged, and whatever you do, do not give up! Developing a new habit takes some time and getting used to. Again, it is not always easy to remember to do something you are not yet used to, and not easy to remember to allow extra time. And let's admit it...when something isn't easy to understand right away, it isn't necessarily enjoyable. But it will come. Be patient and positive. It is so worth it! YOU are so worth it! GOD is so worth it!
Grab your Bible, your calendar, and give it a go!
PS: Need a Bible? Ask me. I will do whatever I can to make sure one is provided to you. You can also find online Bibles online very easily in the meantime. Enjoy God's word and every moment of drawing ever so closer to him!
Comments
Post a Comment