Faith Also Comes By Reading
In another blog post, I told you that one way to develop a deeper relationship with God is by reading his Word. I don’t just mean reading along with the pastor on Sunday as he references the scriptures for the message. No, I mean actually reading it for yourself. Reading it like it’s your favorite novel. Studying it like it’s a textbook.
You may be asking, “But why, Kay?”
Because His Word helps you to know who God is. We call Him a Provider. We call Him a Way-Maker. We have faith from what we’ve seen Him do in our lives and our loved ones’ lives. We’ve heard stories about His goodness and His grace, but that only scratches the surface. It’s not until you read for yourself how God never gave up on the Jews till you really start to comprehend how much God loves you. It’s not until you read story after story of how God showed up in miraculous ways for other people that increases your faith that He will show up like that for you. Moreover, reading the Word reminds you that none of us are perfect and that God can be there in the midst of your messy situation. Let me tell you, the Bile is full of drama-filled stories and characters who knew better but just didn’t do better all the time, similar to us.
Romans 15:4 (NLT) says, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”
Reading the Word helps you to memorize and familiarize yourself with scripture, which is very important on days when your boss is acting a plum fool and you’re trying not to go off or on days when your anxiety is at an all-time high. Scriptures and biblical stories will come to mind and as you reflect on them, it will help you to give your situation over to God. The Word also supplies you with Godly wisdom and counsel. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself identifying with a character who went through a similar situation as me. Psalms 119:105 (NLT) says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
As I’ve mentioned before, reading the Word reaffirms you. If you are feeling down or low about yourself, there are several scriptures throughout the Bible that tells you and shows you what God knows you are. John 8:32 (NLT) says, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Reading the Word regularly and actively applying the Word the to your life will help you live a Godly life. I’ve heard several preachers say that it doesn’t matter how you live on Sunday, but how you live Monday – Saturday. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
And guess what?! Thanks to technology and scholars, reading the Bible is easier than ever before. There are several different Bible translations to help understand the Word. I personally like the New Living Translation (NLT) and the New International Version (NIV). Also, there are Bibles that include study notes and character breakdowns as well. I absolutely love my Life Application Bible and my Woman’s Study Bible. Moreover, the Bible App has bible plans that you can study daily.
