How to Enjoy Reading Your Bible Again
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We have all had times in our lives when reading the Bible is the last thing that we want to do. We are spiritually weary or angry that God has allowed hardship, or maybe we have just lost that initial zeal that we had as youth. The reason could be the enemy or our own flesh. Whatever the reason is, we know that our lives are missing out on the blessing and connection of reading Scripture. Today, we are going to unfold how to enjoy reading your Bible again.
Just Do it One Day at a Time
This might sound simple, but if we get into the habit of reading the Bible each day, we will benefit and grow. There is no way a person exercises and remains unchanged in any way by the strength training or the cardio. If you show up, you are transformed over time. You cannot work out one time and then expect to be super fit and strong. In the same way, we cannot expect that one day of Bible reading is going to completely change all of who we are. Yes, the Holy Spirit could do some huge transformative work in you during one time of meeting with Christ because He is able, but it is more about the daily walk with the Lord.
Isaiah 40:31 says, "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I once heard a worship pastor say that, oftentimes in our lives at camps or conferences, we feel like we are on a mountain-top experience, which is wonderful, but the true strength and joy in our lives is in the daily walk. A lot of people says it takes 21 days to begin forming a positive habit, however research has recently shown that the number is closer to an average of 66 for an automatic habit to take place. So this means that it might take around two months, give or take, for us to get back into a regular meeting time with God in the Bible. This is not to discourage you, but the truth is that it might take some time to delight in reading your Bible again.
Just because the current rhythm of your time with the Lord is more of a discipline, it does not mean that the heart, the joy, and the connection will not grow over time. Think about a couple who has been married for years. They may think that they have “lost their spark” after having young children and living busy lives. But those who take the time to pursue one another and date each other again will find that spark again. The marriage covenant never changed; the feelings did.
Perhaps you feel far from God or do not feel like reading the Bible. The truth is that Jesus’ covenant with us has not changed, and His Word is unfailing. We can go back to pursuing Jesus and see that spiritual spark come back to our relationship with Him, too.
Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” This verse affirms the eternal consistency of Christ’s person and work”
Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Read the Bible in Community
When we want to achieve a goal, it is easier when we do it with others. God designed us to be the body of Christ. He did not intend for us to be alone. (Genesis 2:18) Invite someone to do a Bible reading plan with you, join a Bible study, or share what you are reading and learning with a friend.
It is incredible how the Word of God is living and active. This means that it is always speaking, always moving people, and always teaching us new perspectives. It is how you can read a chapter of the Bible for the hundredth time and see something new about God, the gospel, or yourself and humanity. When we read the Bible with others, it enhances our understanding of the Scriptures and enables us to see how the Lord is speaking to others in the current seasons that they are in right now.
What Excites You?
Although I am very much a proponent of reading the entire Bible because it is all valuable to us, maybe you need to jump in with something that interests you. Do you love Genesis and creation? Start there. Are you needing to hear the gospel of Jesus again? Go to John. Do you love a good romance? Read Ruth. Remember that all of God's Word is effective and useful.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
What Questions Do You Have?
Sometimes it is fun to write down a list of questions that you have for God. You can pray and ask Him about them, then use resources like Bible Study Tools or Crosswalk to find answers in the Bible.
These could be questions like, “How do I navigate a broken relationship?” Or “What does God think about me?” Or “What does the Bible say about Jesus being the only way to Heaven?” This is a vulnerable, honest moment for you to ask Him anything you want to know. There will be some questions that we ask and He does not give us a clear answer to. When this happens, we can return to His character and remember that He is always trustworthy. We can explore the thoughts of our hearts and seek Him even in the unknowns. Sometimes, He might just sit with us in the question, and we receive His comfort.
Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
Try a New Scenery
Do you always meet God in the same place? This can certainly have its benefits, but what about sitting somewhere new in your home, going outside, listening to the Bible on audio while walking with the Lord, going to your favorite nature spot every once in a while, and bringing your Bible and journal. A fresh space might help you to meet with Jesus in a sweet way.
Invite Scripture into Your Whole Day
You might be like me, and you are busy chasing around little ones from the moment you wake up until they go to bed. The problem in this season can easily be that you do not have enough time to be in full solitude, or you are too worn out to have that at the end of the day. Take your children’s nap time and choose time with God over something else, write a Bible verse card and stick it on the mirror in your bathroom or in your car, memorize a verse with your children and repeat it throughout the week, listen to songs with Scripture, or meditate on a verse or phrase you read when you do dishes or laundry.
We can ask God to be gracious, to meet us where we are, and to remember that He knows us and loves us dearly. We can go to Him and know that His covenant love for us hasn’t changed, even though our children are in a state of great need. Our relationship is not based on how long we read the Bible or how long we pray. We can be secure in Him and connect with Him, whatever that looks like in our current season. Every verse we read and word we ponder matters.
Psalm 1:2 says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
I pray that you will enjoy reading your Bible again. If there is a heart of indifference, busyness, hardness, or just a lack of discipline, I pray that you and I would come before the Lord with surrender to seek Him with all of our hearts. I pray that we would ask His Spirit in us to provide new zeal for connecting with Him. He is the greatest treasure.
