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Do you struggle to read your Bible? Does it feel like it’s just too hard to understand, like you can’t grasp what is happening, or that it’s just kind of boring?
I’ve been there. Wanting to read my Bible but struggling every time I did and feeling completely discouraged anytime I didn’t understand it.
I tried asking for advice on how to read it but was continually met with statements like, “You just have to figure out what works for you,” or “The more you read it, the more you’ll love it.” Unfortunately, that had not been my experience.
As a college student, I read the book of Job and was so impressed with how great Job’s friends were, only to find out from my mentor that I’d completely misunderstood the book and Job’s friends were, in fact, terrible.
After investing all that time reading the book of Job and clearly not understanding it, I started to feel like I might never understand the Bible.
It wasn’t until I discovered a few best practices for reading along with helpful resources that I was finally able to read through the Bible and walk away feeling like I actually understood what I read.
So, if you’re feeling like I was, I hope these tips help you read and love the Bible for yourself.
Start in the beginning and read chronologically
You wouldn’t start a book or movie in the middle, but people often try to start reading the Bible somewhere in the middle. The problem is that the Bible is one story comprised of many books, so when we don’t begin in the beginning, we will absolutely miss essential components of it.
The Old Testament can be unglamorous or feel a little harder to read, but you might be surprised to find some of your favorite stories there.
It is amazing to read a Psalm that David wrote as you read what he was experiencing in his life at the time. The context allows you to gain so much more insight than if you are just reading a Psalm on its own.
It is important to note that the books as they are in your Bible are not in chronological order. You will have to jump around a bit to read it this way, but it is so worth it!
Read alongside a teacher
Just like in middle school, you wouldn’t have been able to pick up Shakespeare and understand it without some help from your Language Arts teacher, it is wildly helpful to have someone with a greater understanding of the context to help you in your understanding of the Bible.
We speak a different language, live in a different time period, and live in different parts of the world than the Bible was written. We need help to understand the context and culture to truly understand what is going on in the Bible.
Here are a few of my favorite resources that have helped me to understand the Bible so much more.
The Bible Recap: The first time I read through the complete Bible, I did it alongside The Bible Recap and it was incredibly easy and insightful! Tara-Leigh Cobble teaches through the Bible in one year chronologically and brings in so much cultural context to help you understand the meanings of passages. Below are the links to those resources:
The Bible Project: This is a free resource with tons of videos, podcasts, and classes on each book in the Bible, word studies, and more. Every time I start reading a new book, I watch the video overview from The Bible Project to help me understand the high-level meaning of the book before diving in. Here is the link to The Bible Project (they have an app, too!)
Mysteries of the Messiah I picked up this book recently and it is incredible! If you’re a beginner or have been reading the Bible your entire life, this book will teach you something new. It is a deep dive into seeing Jesus in the Old Testament and will give you some understanding of Hebrew and Greek to better grasp the Bible as a whole.
Have a plan and read with others
If you have someone to talk to about what you are learning, it will be so much more fun!
My sister and I constantly share new insights or things that we’re learning from our Bible reading. We ask each other questions, challenge our understandings, and share the things that are fascinating to us.
The best part is, that we aren’t even reading the same parts at the same time, but we’re still able to talk about and learn from it together.
And it’s always more fun to do something with a friend!
Look for God – it’s His story, not ours.
If you look for yourself, you’ll be confused or find some of it irrelevant. You aren’t listed in the genealogies. You probably won’t see yourself in the instructions for building the temple or the descriptions of the Tabernacle.
But when you look for God, you will see Him everywhere! This is His story. You will see His intentionality and grace in the genealogies. You’ll see His detailed instructions and involvement in the tabernacle and temple.
I’ve often heard people say to look to the Bible when you’re making decisions, but the Bible doesn’t typically answer your exact situation. It doesn’t say, “Yes, you should move to Argentina,” or “No, don’t apply for that job.”
Instead, you can get to know what God loves and hates and who He is, and when you know someone, you know what they want and care about.
The Bible is not a map for my life, but the character of my Creator and the story of my Savior.
See it with fresh eyes
These are real people living real lives, not just some stories with fictitious characters.
I think we often love sermons because the Pastor embellishes the story. As he describes the room or she suggests how they might’ve felt at that moment, we are drawn into the story. But we, too, have an imagination given to us by God that can help us connect with and care about the people we are reading about. Start by asking some questions. How did they feel? What were they thinking? What else was happening at the time? Why does this matter?
As we connect with the stories and the people more, we will lean in and learn more, too.
Keep coming back to it over and over.
I love reading a good book twice, but I know not everyone is like that. The Bible, however, is so complex, detailed, and full of meaning that you will never be able to unpack it all. We are different every time we read it. Our relationship with God is deepening, our faith growing, and we see it differently. God might reveal something new to you.
Dive deep into a story that intrigues you. Meditate on the verses that reveal God’s character to you. Pray scripture over your situation. Just keep coming back to The Word because you will continue to learn more and love God more through it.
Here are a few verses to encourage you in your reading
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
I hope you go right now, find a resource to read alongside, and dive into Genesis head-first. Even if you’ve never felt like you could understand the Bible, I wholeheartedly believe that you can… it just might take a little bit of help. I’m cheering for you!
Looking for more? Check out the latest blog posts below!
- How to Read the Bible and Actually Understand It
- How to Practice Self-Care as a Christian | Part Five: Gratitude
- How to Practice Self-Care as a Christian | Part Four: Community Support
- How to Practice Self-Care as a Christian | Part Three: Service
- How to Practice Self-Care as a Christian | Part Two: Scripture
