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There isn’t a one size fit all when it comes to reading the bible.  As with anything we each must find our rhythm and what works best for our relationship with Jesus.  For me, reading the bible was like reading a foreign language and at times still is.  A lot of the recommendations you see surfing the web I’ve tried.  And while those tips worked for a while, it wasn’t until I found what works for me that I was able to get to a place of where I enjoy reading the bible.

Nope, this didn’t happen overnight.  As a matter a fact at 44 years of age this just occurred.  There are many different resources I used to help me understand the word.  These resources range from bible commentaries, a bible reading plan, or a bible study guide.  While these tools are useful, what I’ve found that fits into my rhythm is when I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.  Before you roll your eyes or let out a deep sigh; hear me out. 

Sometimes I can read a verse or a chapter 10 times and have no clue what it’s saying.  Those are the moments where I ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom.  True fully, sometimes I receive a response suddenly, like an aha-moment, sometimes it takes week for me to understand what he is showing me, and sometimes I am still asking about things I’ve read weeks ago.  In all these scenarios I expect his immediate or the delayed revelation from the Holy Spirit.  It’s just our vibe. 

About two years ago, I came across this article on the web about reading the bible in a year.  I was like cool.  This would give me the opportunity to read a little bit of the word daily.  I should have known this wouldn’t go the way I thought it would.  SMH.  Because my job took up so much of my time, every day when I arrived at work I would set aside 20 minutes to pray before the day begun and read the bible.  For me, the first problem I encountered was I started in the New Testament. 

There is nothing wrong with beginning there, but anytime I am in a place of learning something new, I have to understand the foundation; otherwise, I will struggle to completion with the task I am taking on.  Second, the daily reading was just that.  I was reading the words on the page, but I wasn’t seeking to understand.  There were moments when the words would jump out at me and I would take the time to dive a bit deeper, but with the ramblings of work those deep dives fell by the way side.

Third, I was more focus on the timeframe, than actually understanding what God was trying to tell or show me through each passage.  While, I completed the bible in a year, or should I say, I read the bible in a year; I couldn’t tell you a thing I read; other than the bible verses I’ve known and heard throughout my life.  I felt like I wasted God’s and my time with reading the bible in a year because none of the information stuck with me.

Wanting to have a deeper sense of who God is I knew I needed to start over and get serious about reading the bible.  While I appreciate all the different bible apps and study tools, for me, I had to immerse myself in the word and tap into the Holy Spirit for wisdom, understanding, and timing. This frame of mind led me to remove the pressures of reading the bible and to open my mind and heart to be fully immerse in the God breathed stories.

For any of you who are like me and struggle with reading the bible or simply don’t know where to begin, here are a few tips that have helped me.

1. Set aside time daily to read the word of God.  If it’s a bible verse or several chapters; fully commit to the task.
2. Pray before reading.  Invite the Holy Spirit into your place and time to reveal spiritual truths and his wisdom.
3. Remove any pressures you have placed on yourself.  If it takes you 50 times to re-read a verse or a chapter; so what? It’s ok.
4. Be fully present. Take a moment to see yourself as the villain, hero, or an onlooker in the story. 
5. Take a few moments at the end of your session to recap what you’ve read.  Write down anything that stands out to you, doesn’t make sense, or is simply confusing.  Pray over your notes and ask for understanding.
6. Be watchful.  As we all know God doesn’t usually respond in the manner we think he will.  Be watchful and eager to hear from him in any way that he presents a response to you.  His response could come from the delivery guy, something your kid does, a TV commercial.  Don’t limit God.
7. Enjoy the reading the word.  No matter how many times I read the word of God, I always walk away with a different perspective that gives me a new or another outlook on life.

John 1:1-5 says, “in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Please share your tips on how you approach reading the bible in the comment section.

Ease & Stillness,

Chetoca B.