Welcome to Delighting in His Word, where my passion is to encourage you to find joy in a relationship with God through the Bible. Delight is not a word I always used to describe how I felt about reading the Bible. I knew as a Christian, I “should” read it daily, but it didn’t bring me joy. I was intimidated because I didn’t understand much of it, and as much as I hate to admit, it bored me.
Maybe you’re in this place now. You have a desire to study God’s Word, but you don’t know where to start or the tools to get the most out of it. Maybe you’ve tried reading the Bible cover to cover, and gave up when you got to Leviticus. Maybe you’ve tried to understand the Bible through a study someone else has written. We have a plethora of resources at our hands, and sometimes combing through all of it to try to find what works for us is tedious, so we just give up.
There is much I still have to learn, but I found a method of Bible study that works for me. It has brought so much more meaning to the words of scripture, and I think it just might be able to help you, too! So come along with me on my journey. We can learn from each other, and grow in God’s Word together.
I grew up in church and so I’ve known about God, the Gospel, and Christianity my entire life. I always had a desire to please God, but for most of my life, my relationship with Him was shallow at best.
Then, in 2011, I hit rock bottom. I had a horrific dream, in which I killed my baby boy. A week later a friend was murdered by her husband. The timing of these two events plagued me with what-ifs? What if I snapped and hurt one of my kids? What if I began having suicidal thoughts? Severe depression engulfed me, and there were moments I begged God to take my life before I did something to hurt someone else. This began a journey with the most intense fear and anxiety I have endured in my life.
But…
It also started me on the path to a much deeper relationship with Jesus. I immediately begged God to remove the terrifying thoughts I was having. I heard Him whisper, “My grace is sufficient for you.” After a quick google search to locate this phrase in the Bible, I opened to 2 Corinthians 12:9. I didn’t find exactly what I was hoping for, but I found reassurance of a different kind.
Starting in verse seven, Paul relays his experience of asking the Lord three times to take away a “thorn in the flesh”. God’s response in verse nine was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul continues that he would boast in his distress because God’s strength would be shown in his own weakness. Reading the passage in context helped me understand how God’s grace would be enough for me. It reminded me that even though I may suffer for a time, His strength would shine through my weakness.
God’s Word became my lifeline. Psalm 91 was the first scripture I decided to read and meditate on. I went back to it daily, often more than once. In the middle of the night when the terror kept me awake, I would read it and find peace.
Psalm 91: 1-4 (NLT) says,
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”
I feared the enemy could get to me and make me hurt my kids. Picturing myself resting under the wings of God, where the enemy had no access to me gave me peace. This passage was my go-to for many months as I learned to trust God in a new way.
Over the years, I learned how to study scripture for myself. Once I began to see my inner transformation, I found joy in reading His Word. I was excited to go to the Word each day, get to know God on a deeper level, and find out what new revelation He might show me.
No matter how close we get to Jesus or how much we learn to enjoy being in His Word, there will inevitably be seasons when it’s hard to find the joy in it. This has been true in my own life. What works for me in these seasons is to spend a little bit of time each day, even if it’s only 5 or 10 minutes reading and praying. Even when I don’t feel like it. I believe because I am faithful to stick to this daily practice even in those times, God quickly brings back the joy and meaning. He can do the same for you.
Lord, Thank you for Your Word. It brings us life in a way no other book can. Help us not only find delight in it but find meaning in it as well. Give us understanding as we read. Show us the treasures you have hidden there for us to find. We love You and give You all honor, praise, and glory! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.