Getting the most out of Bible Study 📖

Author

Bloom & Thrive
March 26, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Hi Sis

I have come to learn that if we are to reframe or shift our minds in our approach to bible study or quiet time with God, bible study may not be as much of a struggle for us all. It can be a more enjoyable experience such that it does not feel like a tick box exercise. Our desire and interest will grow as we explore creative ways to connect with God.

One of the ways we can shift our minds around quiet time with God is treating it with the same importance as we do an appointment. We set or have appointments all the time, (doctors, interviews, work meetings etc) and we make sure to be on time. It is only fair that we treat our quiet time with this same mindset as it is an appointment for us to sit with God, talk to Him, study His word, ask questions, and get guidance about our day. God will meet with us where we are, so respect Him by showing up on time. If you know you will not be able to make the time, discuss it with God and change it on your calendar.

When it comes to reading the bible, our mind and approach should be to seek understanding over revelation. Sometimes people come with the mindset that God must reveal something to them as they read. The bible is God’s living word, so He is already speaking as you are reading. It is advisable to come from a place of desiring understanding of the Word because revelation comes after understanding. If our intentions or motive towards reading the bible is not a genuine desire for God, then we will not get to experience what the living word is about. For example, if your motive for revelation of the word is to boast on social media for accolades, then you are not seeking to have a meaningful relationship with God. It is fine to have expectations when reading and to get excited about sharing what has been revealed, but we must remember that our intentions must be true.

The spirit of God is the one that reveals all things within the word (John 14:26). We cannot use your carnal mind to interpret the bible or try to explain what it means. We must allow ourselves to sit with the Holy Spirit, the greatest teacher. Jesus sent him to help us. We need the Holy Spirit to bring understanding (1 Corinthians 2:10), teach and reveal the word to us. By doing this we will grow in knowledge. Knowledge that we will be able to apply with wisdom. We will not be reading for reading sake. The bible will come alive and the desire for the Word will grow too. I pray your spiritual eyes and minds are open, for God to connect the dots for you.

We see people on tiktok and Instagram with their bibles and highlighters and how they make bible study aesthetically pleasing. There is nothing wrong with that. It is fine to be inspired by all that, but do not let comparison steal your joy. We are all different and the way we learn is different, so if the way you do your bible study is different that is fine. As long as the Holy Spirit is involved, you are good. Some days, I simply read and there are no scriptures that I highlight or stand out to me, but I still read as I am getting a fuller picture of the story and my knowledge is growing. Some days might be like this, and it is ok.

A tip I can give you is to read a translation that is easy for you to understand. If NKJV is not working for you, try The Message. It does not affect the level of your spirituality. God is still God regardless of the translation. The bible at its heart is an autobiography of God -we are reading it to better understand who God was and is.

Make the bible fun and interesting for yourself, look at how you learn,

  • Visual - watch videos like The Chosen Series, the Bible Project

  • Aural - Listen to the word or Commentaries, Podcasts, Join your church bible study or form one with your friends

  • Read/write - write down the questions you have and go read about it

  • Kinaesthetic - use flashcards, act it out

Do what works best for you.

 Here is a questionnaire to figure out what your learning style(s) is.

A simple method of studying the bible I know is observation, interpretation, and application. The video below explains it in more detail. There are others, if you want me to discuss different methods, reply to this email.

Here are some resources to aid your quiet time/bible study

Apps 

  • Got Questions

  • Streetlights – Audio Bible and more

  • Daily Audio Bible

  • Matthew Henry’s Commentary

  • Enduring Word Commentary

  • Blue Letter Bible – this is good for getting the root meaning/etymology of words in the original Hebrew or Greek

  • The Bible Project

  • Logos Bible Software

  • Bible Hub

  • Glorify

  • Abide

  • Versify

  • Church Notes (you must pay after 14 days) an alternative is Clay- Sermon Note Taking

❤️ + 💡 

I’ll leave you with this song.

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