Our flesh needs food to survive but our soul needs the word of God to survive. But as Christians, one thing we can agree on is that Bible study doesn’t come naturally to us. Like the Bible says, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
We know we should be studying the Bible but sometimes, we just cannot get ourselves to study or enjoy studying when we can spend hours reading our favourite book or watching our favourite TV show.
But then we feel guilty because we know we should be doing more. And beyond that, we know we could read it to “fulfil all righteousness” but we don’t want to do that because then, what’s the point?
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We want to read the Bible and be blessed; we want to know and get what God is saying from the passage we are reading.
So, if we don’t get that, we find ourselves losing interest in studying and then feel guilty again for losing interest because, hello, we are Christians; we should be interested in studying God’s word.
It is a vicious cycle that I am sure many of us can relate to.
So, what do we do?
I won’t say I have all the answer, so I will just talk about what I do know work and hopefully, it will work for you as well.
Before I proceed, I will like to say that although we should read the scriptures as a part of us, studying the scriptures also require discipline. If we close our Bible anytime we don’t feel like it, we might never grow the discipline to study.
Christianity is beyond feelings.
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Having said that, let’s go to the crux of the matter.
How To Improve Your Bible Study
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Talk To God About It
One thing I have learnt recently is telling God anything and everything, including the lack of desire to study His word.
I mean, He knows already, so you are not shocking Him or anything. instead, He will appreciate your honesty and desire to want to be better.
Telling Him about it is you acknowledging you cannot do it yourself and need His help. At least, we all know God will never force anything on us, so, if we don’t ask help, He won’t force His help on us.
Talk to Him and He will help you.
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Worship With Other Believers
Yes, I know!
You probably already have a local congregation that you worship with.
But what I am talking about here is worshipping with other believers with the desire for spiritual growth and not simply because you know you have to go to church on Sunday.
The truth is while Christianity is indeed a personal journey, we are called to a family, so our growth is not removed from others in the body.
Attending church with the intent to growth will inspire the fire in you and the desire to know God more when you are on your own.
After all, “deep calleth unto deep” Psalm 42:7
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Set A Time And Place
Find your time or place. I know you have heard a lot about morning devotion and we are told about morning devotion because, most times, if we don’t study in the morning before we start our day, we won’t have time throughout the day.
Also, morning devotion is to get us to start the day right.
However, while morning devotion is important and I encourage it, you don’t have to be compelled to do your Bible study in the morning if that’s not the best time for you.
If that’s your situation, I will suggest praying in the morning to thank God for the day and putting the day into His hands, especially in making sure your life pleases Him.
But you can do an extensive Bible study at the time of the day that you find it easier to concentrate without disturbance.
For instance, if you are a night owl, you might want to do your Bible study at night.
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Study Based On Themes Or Story
I have found that reading the Bible based on themes or stories help.
You could pick, David, for instance, and do an extensive study on him and his walk with God, and then see how it relates to your life.
You can also study love, as a topic instead of just reading the Bible as it comes to you because it could get overwhelming.
Now, let me state here that we are Christians, so being led by the Holy Spirit is important. Even though you have set a direction to your study, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, if He is leading you out of your schedule, please do not hesitate to follow His leading.
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Study To Apply
One of the traps we fall into, as Christians, is studying to know. We want to be able to hold conversations and quote scriptures so our friends can see we are studying the Bible.
Don’t worry, I’m not judging because I am also guilty.
We should instead study to apply. Read the scriptures and take time to think about how it applies to you.
I will be the first to admit that meditating is not my strong suit because I can’t keep my mind quiet. However, seeing myself in the scripture helps.
Asking myself what God is saying, what mistakes the human subject in the story made, what great decision they made and how I can apply those to my life helps.
ALSO READ: SPEND TIME WITH JESUS TO BE MORE LIKE HIM
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Set Realistic Goals
Studying three chapters in a day is great. But God is more interested in you hearing Him through His word than keeping scores on how long you can read the Bible.
It is not about how far, but how well. So, don’t be pressured; study the passages you can and be blessed by it.
Of course, you can push yourself for the sake of discipline but at the end of the day, make sure to prioritise hearing God over the number of passages you are able to read.
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Be Consistent
We are creatures of habit. If you want to improve your Bible study, then you should be consistent. If you are irregular, you will find it more difficult to cope and keep it up.
Let it be something you add to your schedule of the day and when you are just starting, you can set an alarm to remind you before you get used to it.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it! Seven tips on how to improve your Bible study! I hope after reading this, you are not only inspired to read and study the Bible but also fired up to do as God says in His word. I pray God empowers us all to do His will as we journey through life in Jesus name. Amen!
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