5 Reasons To Empower You To Study The Bible

Feelings come and go, and although they are fickle, they can be intense, shifting us from doing what we intended to do. So when you don’t feel like studying the bible, hold on to these 5 reasons to empower you from shifting.

You don’t feel like studying your bible. That’s fine! You don’t need to feel like studying your bible to do it. That feeling comes and goes for newbies and seasoned veterans alike. The difference is that those who persist in studying know why they need to study. 

The feeling comes from two main problems: distractions and sin. As long as these 2 things are in your life, you will always have that feeling, ebbing and flowing. The good news is that you can remove distractions from your life (easier said than done, understood), and the power of the Holy Spirit weakens sin. Therefore, these obstacles are not insurmountable.

When you are in your feelings, you need to give yourself a reason that will redirect your thoughts from focusing on the feeling to the intention. Here are 5 reasons to redirect your thoughts.

1. Get To Know Him

Our relationship with God is at the core of our faith and life. Without it, everything else is meaningless, like overcoming sin, going to church, righteousness–everything! Therefore, the number one reason to be in the Word, even though you don’t feel like it, is to know Jesus intimately. You don’t want to just hear about Him, no, you want to know Him for yourself. 

Just like making plans to meet a friend, you have made plans to meet with God. During your time together, you are getting to know each other. It is not a one-sided relationship, where He knows everything about you, but you don’t know anything about Him. 

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

(John 17:3)

It hurts God that we don’t know Him. We attribute praise to everything and everyone except the Creator. When we are in need, we depend on anything but Him. We do not know His will, desires, or what makes Him happy or angry.

The ox knows its master,

the donkey its owner’s manger,

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.

(Isaiah 1:3)

But they do not regard the work of the Lord,

Nor consider the operation of His hands.

13Therefore my people have gone into captivity,

Because they have no knowledge;

(Isaiah 5:13)

The Scriptures testify to You about who God is, encouraging you to seek Him (pray). Unlike articles, videos, and podcasts, where you might learn about someone you admire, it doesn’t stop there. After studying, you can approach the throne.

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

(John 5:39-40)

Don’t just open the bible, then check it off your list. Make it your objective to know more and more about Him, just like you would in a relationship with a friend.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

(2 Peter 3:18)

2 To Hear His voice 

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 

John 10:27

We were not there when Jesus came. We’ve never seen Him, but we have heard His voice, we’ve communed with His Spirit through the word and prayer. Studying the word daily tunes our ears to know His voice, to discern between His words and the world’s. The voice of the world is loud and deceptive; sometimes it sounds right, but when held next to the Word, there is a difference in the voices. There are certain things that the world says, “follow your heart,” that Jesus would never say. 

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:18-19)

We know this because we are His sheep; we study His Word to know His voice.

3 Get Wisdom and Understanding

Wisdom is the principal thing;

Therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

Proverbs 4:7

From the beginning, in the garden, it was the lack of wisdom and understanding that led to Eve’s deception. We need understanding and wisdom to not fall into the same deception. They guide you in the work that you do and the way that you live, bearing the fruit of righteousness. They give you eyes to see what is not discerned by the world. They give you light so that you are not stumbling in the dark and going astray with the wicked. 

Wisdom and understanding lead to eternal life, and although the journey isn’t without challenges, you can be certain life is the destination.

4 Set Your Mind On Things Above

It’s a struggle to remember eternity when living on earth. Life on earth is filled with worries and trouble, but we are instructed to set our minds on things above. The things of this world will soon wither away, no longer to be remembered, but we can easily forget that if we get caught up in the shiny objects.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Colossian 3:2

As we read the Word, we are being transformed by it, specifically our mindset or way of thinking. We no longer view the world the same way we used to, and desire the things that the world does. Setting your mind on things above puts you in the position of being in the world but not of the world. 

We are to live with our feet on the ground, but our minds up above where Christ is.

5 Build Your Faith On His Word

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

How can we believe Jesus if we don’t hear His word? In order to have faith, we must study His Word. The more we study, the stronger our faith gets. The less we study, the more our faith weakens. It is rooted in what He says, for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from Him. We don’t live by what we see but by what He says.

We’ve all been in a state of not wanting to study the Word, and even after you’ve established the discipline, the feeling still comes. However, I am able to disregard the feeling because I know why I need to study the Word. I am not perfect, no one is, but the effort you put in counts, and where we fail, the Holy Spirit helps us.

Reflection Question

What is your reason(s) for studying the bible?