We’re all aware of the fact that the time we spend in God’s Word generates peace, wisdom and refreshes our souls. However, for some people, knowing how to spend time with God through studying His Word feels overwhelming and confusing.
Sometimes, we don’t know where or how to start. If you feel this is you, there’s nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about because everyone has felt this way at some point. Hopefully, these tips help empower you by giving you the tools to spend time with your Bible effectively and get the most out of your Bible reading. With any luck, these tips generate amazing fruit in your life and enhance your walk with the Lord.
Ask God for help.
If you’re driving and need directions, you’ll likely stop and ask someone familiar with the area to direct and help you. You should do the same when you’re trying to navigate the Bible. Nobody knows the Bible better than the author Himself. Before you start reading, recite a short prayer asking God to direct your time in His Word so you can benefit from His glory. When you pray, quiet your mind as much as possible, and you’ll start hearing the whispers of God’s voice.
When you start your Bible time this way, you may hear God leading you to a specific chapter or Bible character. However, there are times when it’ll be quiet. If it’s silent, don’t worry; when you invite the Holy Spirit to lead your time in the Word, you should know you’re in skilled hands, and nothing you pray, study, or read will be meaningless. God’s Word will never return void and will always accomplish His purposes. Even if you don’t understand the reason for what you read at the moment, you may experience an “ah-ha” moment later on. When you start your Bible time, start with this prayer:
Dear Lord, I first want to thank You for giving me the perfect map and guidebook for living through Your Word. Your Word is vibrant, timely, and alive. You speak directly to my life through Your Word, giving wisdom and refreshing my soul. Father, as I open Your Word right now, I do so with gratitude. Please take the wheel and guide this time spent with You. Please help me listen out for Your voice and direct me to the words I need to hear from You. I hope these words generate blessings for myself and those around me and bring You glory. Thank You in advance for showing Yourself to me through Your Word. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
Consider what’s happening in your life.
The next thing you should do is ask God to bring to mind things you’ve been praying about, struggling with, or praising Him for. By doing so, you attune your mind to any messages He may try to offer through His Word. After considering what’s going on in your life, you may turn directly to a passage that thoroughly addresses your celebrations, prayers, or struggles. It’s a great way to be personally ministered to by God’s Word.
Start with a verse.
There will be times when you start your Bible reading with clear directions from God, but there will be other times when it’s not as clear. If this happens, don’t let that discourage you. It takes practice and time to hear God; as long as you’re reading His Word, you’re planning seeds that will reap a good harvest. Try to relax and enjoy your time with God’s Word. On the days when the directions aren’t as clear, try looking up a verse on your favorite Bible app or any other option, and turn to that verse in your Bible. It’s an excellent way to study because it takes you to places in God’s Word that you may have ignored in the first place.
Try using a devotional.
Devotional books are another great tool to help direct your time in God’s Word. There are thousands of daily devotionals that you can find. Whether it’s an app or a good old-fashioned book, devotionals are excellent tools for several reasons. First, they help guide you to particular scriptures to zone in on, and they thoughtfully provide applications for that scripture. If you choose to use devotionals, it would be best to use them to guide you to scripture, not as a replacement.
Finding yourself with an open devotional book and a closed Bible is simple. The devotional has scripture, but it can’t replace your Bible. If you decide to use a devotional, use to it to help guide you to scripture or verse, but read it from the Bible.
Break it up.
When children learn to read, their teacher likely teaches them to break up the words. Instead of trying to read a long, confusing term, they taught them to take it in chunks. Then, take each piece and bring them back together. You likely remind them to break it up when they read now and struggle.
You can use the same technique to get the most out of your Bible reading. Some people get overwhelmed while reading the Bible, or they get distracted or bored while reading the Bible. The solution to both of these problems is the same solution to understanding the Bible in a way you can use: the break it up method. Instead of reading passage after passage, try breaking them into bits and pieces. It would best to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, then choose two verses. Read it more than once if you have to. The key to getting the most out of God’s Word comes when we dig deep to understand it. The Lord will start drawing connections like a puzzle coming together right before you.
Studying God’s Word with this technique will help you understand how powerful and timely God’s Word is. The Bible is the best place to gain knowledge, so we should get the most out of it every time we read it.
