Do you read the bible? How much time would you say you allocate to reading? On a daily basis? Once a week? Once a month? Once every few months? What is the reason behind you reading the bible at certain intervals?
These are a few questions that, as Christians, we have to consider, when discussing the practices that bring us closer to God. Because reading the Bible is a very important step that can help us strengthen our connection with God and understand His words better.
First and foremost, we have to define our worldview as Christians, in order to understand what it means for each of us to be a Christian. But, no matter how we see the world and life as human beings, Christianity is about having a biblical worldview. This means that we need to see the Bible as the instrument through which God has made His words understandable to us. It should be the source of our belief, faith, salvation and life.
So, what keeps Christians from reading the bible more often? Read on to find out some of the most common reasons.
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Lack of understanding
The Bible is not an easy read. There might be passages in there that leave you feeling completely confused and intrigued. Many people feel this way and instead of trying to understand God’s words, they stop reading the Scripture.
If you want to move past this obstacle and continue reading the Bible, there’s something quite simple that you can do: just ask for understanding from God. His very own words reveal how to live life like a true Christian, based on the knowledge provided by Him, through the Scripture.
God is in every one of us, so, all we need is to be more open to Him and His teachings, so that we can understand them better. “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Luke 24:44-45 NIV
It’s not necessarily when reading the Bible that God will help you understand it better, it might happen when you least expect it, during a sermon, while listening to a podcast or talking to someone.
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Believing that “It’s only for preachers”
It’s not uncommon for believers to think that the Bible should be read and studied in more depth only by preachers. Many Christians have the false belief that only preachers can fully understand and pass on their learnings to others.
While it may be true that preachers have a certain calling and a way to transmit the words of God, it is the duty of every Christian to read the Bible, learn from it and try to understand it as much as possible.
The Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, have made it clear that God wants his people to read and learn His words so that everyone can feel closer to HIM, not only preachers.
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Thinking that going to church is enough
As with the idea that reading the Bible should be left to preachers alone, many people also believe that going to church is enough to be close to God. Sure, attending sermons is highly important and helpful in understanding God’s words but what better way to analyze and understand something than through your own filter?
Going to church is a good way to learn more about Christian beliefs, duties and responsibilities, but also about the way life should be viewed and approached. But the Bible can also teach you these things without having to hear the information filtered through someone else’s brain. After all, even the Bible warns about false teachers. There were many back then and there may be many more nowadays.
You are your best teacher. Listen to your pastor, but do not rely solely on what you hear in sermons. Do your own research and read the Bible as often as you can so that you can learn more about God and what He wants to teach you about your life. God can help you find answers to specific situations that you are going through, you only have to open your eyes…or, better said, open the Bible!
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Lack of desire
Another common reason reading the Bible is not on the daily to-do list of many Christians is their lack of desire. It’s a simple reason, but a sad one, nonetheless.
Are you familiar with the saying: a man’s appetite grows by what it feeds on? It is the same with reading the Bible. The more you read it, the more you understand it and want to find out more. Conversely, the less you read it, the less desire you have to know the word of God, the less you pray, and so on. It is one big snowball with significant effects on one’s belief, whether we want to accept it or not.
In some cases, people say they do not have that much time to read the Bible; but, in reality, you don’t need long hours of extensive reading; you can read God’s words ten minutes a day, a week even, if you cannot find more time than that. Ten minutes becomes 20 minutes, 20 minutes becomes 40 minutes and before you know it, you have made it a daily habit.
The Holy Spirit is in every one of us, and so is the desire to listen to God’s words. You just need to start cultivating it, step by step.
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It is not a priority
The world we live in demands a lot of our time and attention. Sometimes, our one-on-one time with God seems less important. After all, God is with us every step of the way, right? True, but we should not take Him for granted either. We have to put in some effort on our part as well to strengthen our beliefs and our relationship with God.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8a NIV
In other words, make Him a priority and He will help you find your way through this maze that we call life. Reading the Bible is one way to feel closer to God. Treat this action with priority and you will be treated with priority as well. God loves all His children but by knowing Him and understanding His teachings better, you will see life with different eyes and have a different attitude to whatever life is throwing at you.
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Lack of discipline
Many believers start their Christian journeys full of excitement and enthusiasm; in the beginning, they have a well-set reading and praying routine, but at some point, the routine goes downhill. This is due to a lack of discipline, in general not only when it comes to their Christian duties.
However, lack of discipline is just an excuse. God has gifted us with self-discipline and self-control, but it is up to us to master them. Instead of finding all sorts of excuses for not reading the Bible, we need to make real efforts to spend time with God. No excuses! Just dedication and commitment to improve our relationship with Him every chance we’ve got. In this case, reading the Bible regularly can set us up for success!
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Not ready to give up on certain things
One important reason for not reading the Bible more often is that many Christians do not want to accept certain things and truths that the Bible reveals to them. If we were to be sincere and honest about it, we don’t want to be confronted with the truth so we try to postpone these revelations for as long as possible.
Whether it’s at the church, while talking with other people, or when reading in our studies, we don’t want to be forced to acknowledge our sins and so we avoid the instrument that can make us do just that: the Bible.
But the Bible is not an instrument designed to punish you for your sins, but a way for God to open your eyes, see your experiences and sins in a different light and learn from them. By reading the Bible more regularly, you will be able to find more satisfaction in your life instead of being tight-lipped about your mistakes and fearing confrontation and judgment.
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Embrace God’s words
After all things are said and done, we should not consider reading the Bible as a mere Christian duty. It is not something we should just cross off out to-do list. It is much more than that. It is our time together with God, our way to learn how we can serve Him better and also make our lives better.
Reading the Bible and learning more about His words will help us cultivate our relationship with our Heavenly Father and stay true to His teachings.
No matter how busy, tired, or overwhelmed by life we might be, we need to make God a priority. Reading the Bible is one step to achieving this. So, stop trying to find all sorts and excuses and get to work! Open the Bible and start reading it until it becomes an intentional routine. There are no words to express the benefits and satisfaction that will come from this simple act.
Read also: 7 Simple But Meaningful Things Christians Should Do Daily
