If you talk to me about faith or about God, or even about life in general, in a very short time you will know that I am on a kick about getting people to read the Bible. And to be clear, that does not make me any more than just a sinner saved by grace. So, as I have noted in previous posts, unfortunately a large percentage of both Christians and those who do not profess to be Christians do not read the Bible on a consistent basis. Of course, if you do not think that the Bible has any relevance in your life or for your life circumstances, there is probably a high likelihood that you will not read it. But on the flip side, if you do not read the Bible, how do you know that it does not have relevance to your life? And the reality is that the Bible absolutely does speak to your life and life circumstances. Yet, even if people say that they should be reading the Bible daily, most people have some excuse as to why it does not happen.
For those who understand that the Bible does have relevance for life, a primary excuse people give for not reading the Bible is that they do not have time to read it. But if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we have time to do so many other things each day that are less important, such as watching television, spending time on Facebook or other social media formats, or any other activity that may consume our lives but does not add value to our health and wellbeing. Maybe we should be recognizing that we have not prioritized reading God’s Word above other things in life, or that we really are not as disciplined in our spiritual life as we may think or hope. Some other reasons for not reading the Bible include being easily distracted when reading the bible or that it makes them sleepy, or that there are parts of the Bible that are hard to understand, are boring, or that people do not get anything out of it when reading the Bible. Well, many times these issues can be relatively quick fixes for anyone who is truly committed to reading the Bible. As an example, if you are easily distracted, find a specific quiet place where you can read and avoid having those things in that space that are a distraction such as a phone, a pet or a computer. And if reading makes you sleepy it is probably not a good idea to make reading the Bible the last thing you do before going to bed. Personally, the two best times that work for me are first thing in the morning and right after dinner in the evening, but maybe for you it is lunchtime or before you turn on the TV at night.
As far as experiencing that there are parts of the Bible that are hard to understand, are boring, or that you do not get anything out of it when you read the Bible, that is where developing additional spiritual disciplines such as praying for wisdom and guidance, studying, meditating on scripture, and memorizing, and submitting to God’s Word can address some of those issues. Because being able to grow in your faith takes more discipline than just reading the Bible as if it were like reading any other book. Yes, we are only saved by the grace of God, and not by works, as it is not the reading of the Bible that saves us from God’s justice (Ephesians 2:8-9). But for the Christian, the spiritual life is a disciplined life that includes in part listening to God through the reading, studying and meditation on His Word. For “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, read the Bible faithfully, for God’s Word teaches us the truth, it admonishes and corrects us when we have sinned, and it trains us on how to live a life worthy of God as our God.