Strengthening Bible engagement …
For Christians, God’s Word is our lifeblood. It’s indispensable for our spiritual health and vitality. Yet, despite its power, many of us face challenges when it comes to engaging with the Bible regularly. So, why do we struggle to connect with the Scriptures, even when we know they provide direction, comfort, and transformation?
If you’re in a Bible engagement slump and feel the Spirit nudging you to engage more deeply with God’s Word, here are five uncomplicated yet impactful ways to strengthen your connection with the Bible:
Confession
Being in right-standing with God is crucial for strengthening Bible engagement. To connect with God’s Word, you’ve got to remove hindrances. Possibly, the biggest obstacle to engagement with God’s Word is un-confessed sin. Are you living your way and denying God the right to rule your life? This is sinful. To receive God’s Word, you’ve got to “throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage” so that “our gardener, God,” can “landscape you with the Word” James 1:21 (MSG).
Accountability
Who do you answer to? One of the reasons our Bible engagement sometimes comes to a grinding halt is that we’re not accountable to others. Bible engagement is always better when we do it together. We need Bible engagement buddies. “Two are better than one” Ecclesiastes 4:9. So, find someone who will journey with you and, at least weekly, chat about your Bible reading and reflections. I find this happens best when we both use the same reading guide. No matter how you navigate the details of who and when, the goal is to have a friend to help you up if you fall (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:10).
Journaling
Effective Bible engagement requires note-taking. Putting pen to paper often jogs our hearts and minds in ways that form and transform us. Journaling doesn’t have to be all-embracing. Aim to capture the essence of your daily encounters with Jesus in His Word. How much or how little you journal isn’t important. Most of the time, I jot down only one or two sentences. So, it doesn’t have to be a detailed diary of everything you hear God saying to you. What’s essential is that you do it.
Praying
Praying the Scriptures will revolutionize your engagement with God’s Word. Pray as you read and read as you pray. The two go together. Prayer comes alive when infused with the Word, and the Word comes alive when accompanied by prayer. Are your prayers dry, lacking content, or the same old things you’ve always prayed? The Bible, while not a prayer book per se, provides the content for our prayers. As you read God’s Word, use the passage’s words, phrases, or themes to guide, shape, and give language to your conversations with God. This is done by praying a Scripture text word for word as your prayer, personalizing a text, or turning your thoughts and feelings about a topic or theme of a Scripture passage into prayer.
Obeying
Obeying God’s Word may seem like a foregone conclusion, but we often don’t act on what we know. Transformation, not information, is the aim of Bible engagement. When we obey God’s Word, it comes alive to us, and we come alive to it! Bible engagement is more than talking; it’s acting. But we often get sidetracked from doing it, don’t we? So, every time we read God’s Word, we must intentionally ask ourselves, “What does God want me to do with His Word today?” And then, we must ask Him to help us do what He’s directing us to do.
There you have it. Don’t be backward in coming forward! Implement these five simple tweaks, trust the Lord, do nothing in your own strength, and see your Bible engagement reach new heights. Remember, it’s not about what you can do using natural strength but trusting the Lord to help you along the way. Strengthening Bible engagement. Start today, and watch your connection with God’s Word reach new heights.
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Summary
Many Christians struggle to engage with the Bible despite knowing it’s essential for spiritual health and growth. To strengthen Bible engagement, five practical strategies are highlighted: Confession, Accountability, Journaling, Praying the Scriptures, and Obeying God’s Word. These actions help remove hindrances, foster more profound connections, and encourage transformation. By implementing these practices, believers can deepen their relationship with God and experience more meaningful Bible engagement.
© Scripture Union Canada
