Editor’s note – Every believer hits some version of these four walls: too much book to take in, phrases that don’t translate as expected, a reading habit that never sticks, and the quiet comparison that drains the joy out of study. The author names all four plainly and offers a practical way through each one.
1: Getting Overwhelmed
The Bible is a very large book, made up of 66 books from numerous authors across hundreds of years. Knowing how to navigate it is not a prerequisite for salvation. That comes with time and study.
Start in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and use a reading plan to help you know what to read next. Don’t worry if it doesn’t all make sense at first.
Allowing yourself to get overwhelmed is the fastest way to quit, which is exactly what Satan wants. Don’t let him win that battle. Keep reading!
If you’re feeling stuck and aren’t sure what book to read next, I wrote this article specifically for you.
2: Not Considering Context
Because the Bible was penned over different centuries, by many different human authors, we have to remember that some phrases and idioms don’t translate exactly into English from the original languages.
For example: Think about any Disney movie or fairytale that has a daring prince who rescues a beautiful princess in distress. I remember learning in one of my college Spanish classes that this type of character was called “el Principe Azul.” In English, we call him “Prince Charming.”
However, “Principe Azul” literally means “blue prince” if you translate it word-for-word into English. It doesn’t make sense unless we understand the colloquialism.
This is something Bible translators work to do. They study the context, historical culture, and ancient languages to better understand how the original audiences would have understood different words or phrases so they can better translate Scripture into English or any other language.
For those of us who are not trained scholars, using a study Bible, Bible dictionary, or simple commentary written by those scholars can help us understand context, what the original author was trying to communicate, and how the original audience would have understood the text.
Not only does this help make sure we are accurately understanding the Word of God, but it brings out more of its richness and depth that we might have missed otherwise.
Editor’s note – This one matters. A study Bible or sound commentary isn’t a shortcut around the Holy Spirit’s teaching – it’s a tool He can use, built by people who spent years in the original languages most of us never studied.
3: Inconsistency
This is something we will always struggle with because we have an enemy who would love nothing more than for our Bibles to collect dust on our shelves.
Life is BUSY, so we have to be proactive in reading the Word of God. Pick a time each day to read your Bible that works best for YOU. For some, that might be first thing in the morning. For others, maybe a lunch break or before bed. It’s better to have a wonky Bible study time that works than a non-existent one because we were more committed to a specific time of day than to God’s Word.
Ouch. Give me a second while I get off of my toes I just smashed…
Editor’s note – God doesn’t need a perfect streak from us. He asks for a habit He can work with, even a small one, because faithfulness in little things is still faithfulness.
4. Comparison
…is the thief of joy.
There will always be someone who is ahead of us in life, finances, studies, sports, career, you name it.
Scripture warns us about the consequences of this in several places, one of which being James 4:
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. [James 4:2]
Our hearts have a tendency towards coveting and dissatisfaction. The tenth commandment in Exodus warns against coveting, which begins with simple comparison.
When we compare our circumstances or possessions with someone else’s we neglect to consider what they had to do to get there. We don’t consider the ways the Lord guided them or that He might be guiding us down a different path.
This is especially dangerous in our Bible study. When we compare how much someone else knows to how much we know, it will lead us to being either puffed up or disappointed, and both of these take our eyes off the Lord and turn our gaze inward at what we’ve done.
Instead, don’t worry about where someone else is in their spiritual journey. Turn your focus to the One you are chasing after and all the rest will fade into the background.
Thanks for reading! My heart is truly to see others dive deeper into Scripture and reason through things Biblically. These are wild times, but together we can chase clarity in a confused world!
A Word from the Editor
Comparison has stolen joy since Cain eyed Abel’s offering. Scripture’s answer isn’t trying harder not to look sideways – it’s fixing our eyes on Christ until the glance loses its pull. Paul said it plainly in Hebrews 12:2: run fixed on Jesus, and let the rest fade into the background.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
Distributed by – BCWorldview.org
Editor Comment: The Bible is a love letter from the Creator of the universe to His children. That communication with our Heavenly Father is critical to our spiritual growth and continuing sanctification. Thanks for clearly summarizing some of the major barriers to reading the Word.
This article appeared on Medium and is reprinted with modifications and by permission.