Getting Cozy With Your Bible
Anna longed to grow closer to God, but she struggled with the concept. She envied her friend, Mistee who described God as her “best friend and closest confidant.” She wanted a vibrant relationship with God like Mistee had.
So, she asked her friend how she’d developed that close relationship. “Well,” Mistee said after thinking for a moment. “It’s like every other relationship I’ve had. I put work into it – I spend time with God. I talk to Him throughout my day. I read the notes He sends me every day.”
“Wait a second,” Anna said. “God sends you notes?”
“Yes, that’s what the Bible is,” Mistee said. “It’s a whole collection of notes God wrote just for me. Each day, I pull it open and see what He has to say to me.”
Reading Your Bible Doesn’t Have to Be A Chore!
If you cringe at the thought of spending time in God’s Word or avoid reading yours for weeks at a time, you’re not alone. Many Christians struggle to make Bible time a top priority in their lives.
For most people, it’s not that they don’t want to know what God says. They simply view it as another “chore”. It’s one more task on an already overflowing to-do list and it feels impossible to make time for it.
But what if you changed your attitude toward Bible-reading? What if instead of being another action item for you to get done, it became an exciting adventure? What if it was the conversation that you spent all day looking forward to? What if you chose to cherish the words between the leather covers?
Make Reading Your Bible an Enjoyable Habit.
Besides changing how you view your devotional time; it can be helpful to make your Bible reading a delightful habit by pairing it with something you enjoy.
For example, Tina chose a special tea she loved and would drink it only when she was reading her Bible. Pretty soon, she began to associate the warmth and enjoyment she received from the tea with her time in the Word.
Connie had a walk-in closet she turned into her prayer closet. She added a comfortable chair, her favorite spiritual books, and praise music to the space. But she only used it when she was reading her Bible each morning, so she connected the comfortable place with her devotional time.
Choose a Bible Version that’s Easy.
Lisa was raised in a church where she was taught there was only one “correct” and “true” Bible. Since the Bible version selected was older and Lisa had reading and comprehension problems, she found it difficult to understand God’s Word. She rarely opened her Bible.
Then a friend suggested that perhaps God was more interested in spending time with her than He was which Bible version she was using. The conversation opened Lisa’s eyes and she decided to try a different version.
If like Lisa, you realize a different version of the Bible might be a better fit, you’ll want to do a bit of research. Start your quest by considering what type of Bible you might need.
*Study Bibles are great for going deep into various topics and exploring them. Sometimes, they include maps, charts, character descriptions, and the history of each book of the Bible. The trade-off for study Bibles is they can be bulky and cumbersome to carry. So, if you have a disability that makes it difficult to pick up heavy items, this may not be the ideal solution for you.
*Reference Bibles are more streamlined. Typically, they contain the whole Word of God but they don’t include extras like charts, book histories, and more.
If you’re new to Bible reading, a reference Bible is the way to go. They are excellent for devotional time and for travel. However, if you’re craving deep study, a reference Bible probably won’t cut it for you.
*Devotional Bibles usually feature helpful stories and anecdotes beside various passages. These can help you to understand what you’re reading and make God’s Word applicable to your daily life. Like study Bibles, devotional Bibles can be weighty. Additionally, some readers find included devotionals distracting and don’t enjoy them. However, if they make the passage come alive for you, then a devotional Bible might be a good fit.
Once you know the type of Bible you want, you can dive into choosing the version that works for you. There are two ways that Bible translators work – they either try to convey the meaning by translating the original text word-for-word or they try to capture the essence of the message. In the second case, they may omit or add words to make the original message clear to modern-day readers.
A few of the word-for-word translations include:
• English Standard Version (ESV)
• New King James Version (NKJV)
• New American Standard Bible (NASB)
If you’re looking for versions that capture the essence of the message, look for these options…
• New Living Translation (NLT)
• Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
• Good News Translation (GNT)
• The Message
• New International Version (NIV)
It’s often easier to choose a Bible version if you go to a bookstore and experiment. Read the same passage in two or even three different Bible versions. See which one speaks to you and feels the easiest to understand.
Remember—there’s no right or wrong version of the Bible. God is delighted that you’re choosing to spend more time with Him. His voice is so powerful He can use any version to speak to you!
Find A Bible Reading Plan.
After you select a Bible version that works for you, you’ll want to choose a Bible reading plan. There are so many different ways to study the Bible and learn what God is saying to you! Here are a few of the most popular…
By book. Choose a book of the Bible and simply read through it. This is a great way to get an overview of a particular message or to tease out themes you may not have discovered otherwise.
By character. Another exciting way to read the Bible is to choose a character to study. Some characters such as Ruth and Esther only appear in their own books. But other characters such as Jesus, David, and Joshua appear in multiple books.
By topic. This can be helpful when you’re struggling with an issue or want more insight into a particular theme. For example, if you’re struggling to forgive your father for abandoning you during childhood, you might study the topic of God as your Father, forgiveness, and earthly fatherhood. All of these themes could give you deep insights that lead to healing in your life.
By year. Perhaps the most interesting way to read the Bible is to simply read it through from beginning to end. With a yearly plan, you spend a few minutes each day (typically less than 15 minutes) reading small portions of Scripture. At the end of the year, you’ll have read through the entire Bible.
Set a Goal to Memorize Scripture.
The more time you spend with God, the more time you’ll want to spend with Him. That was most likely the feeling the Psalmist was referencing when he said, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” (Psalm 42:1, NLT)
But it’s not enough to merely know what God’s Word says. It’s so powerful to carry that Word with you through intentional memorization. Besides strengthening your faith, scripture memorization also helps you to flee temptation, praise God in all things, and stand strong when you feel overwhelmed by circumstances.
Fortunately, memorizing God’s Word doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, there are a few things you can do to make it easy and fun to hide Scripture in your heart…Choose verses that are important to you. If you’re going through a season of difficulty in your marriage, then a verse like 1 Corinthians 13:4 might be ideal for you. If you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness, then a verse like Philippians 4:6 might be a good fit for you.
Post your memory verse everywhere. Print it out on cards, doodle it on your favorite notebook, and tape it your mirror. You might also want to place your memory verse in your car, your office (if your employer’s policy allows for it), or as your computer background.
Say it out loud daily. After reading the verse, pause to meditate on its meaning. Ask God to give you a great understanding of what He meant and how it applies to your life right now.
As you spend more time in God’s Word, you may find yourself eager to know more about Him. This is a wonderful gift from the Holy Spirit—the desire and hunger for deeper spiritual knowledge.
While you absolutely can study the Bible on your own, there are a few resources that will make it easier…
A Bible Dictionary. The meaning of a word in one section might be different than it is in another. This is where a dictionary can come in handy. You’ll discover all the possible meanings of a passage with a good Bible dictionary.
A Bible Concordance. This is a master list of various words in Scripture and where they appear. It’s ideal for investigating a topic more closely. For example, if you want to do a deep study on the topic of forgiveness, you would pull out the Bible concordance so you could find every mention of the subject in Scripture.
A Bible Commentary. A Bible commentary is typically written by a scholar or pastor who has studied the Bible extensively and offers additional comments on particular passages. These comments can help shed new light on what God meant and explain Biblical customs that might seem odd to today’s modern readers.
A Blank Notebook or Journal. As you’re studying God’s Word, you’ll want a place to capture everything you’re learning. Plus, it’s a great way to make sure you don’t forget the insights the Holy Spirit is revealing.
Step into a New Habit.
Building a new habit takes time. Be patient with yourself and if you notice that you’re beginning to slip, simply course-correct and start over again.
God truly loves you. He enjoys every moment of time you choose to spend with Him even if you only have five minutes! So get started. You will come to cherish the time you spend with God.
Love you ladies! Can’t wait to be back with you next month! You matter- You are Loved- You are Enough- YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE!
God Bless You!
For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
– Jeremiah 29:11