8/14/2023 0 Comments Delve deep synonym![]() I used to wear a label of lies, calling myself nasty names like: “sinner, reject, failure…” Maybe you’ve done this before too and you’ve avoided your Bible because of those fears. Each day that I pick it up and dive into that text I need to remember who God is, and who He says I am. I’m learning now, that I need to approach the Word of God with open hands every day. I haven’t wanted to pick it up, afraid of what it might say, afraid that I would be condemned by its words, or simply afraid that I wouldn’t really understand the context of what I was reading. There have been so many times that I’ve approached my Bible with anxiety or anticipation. Release Preconceived Notions and Relinquish the Past If you want to refresh the way that you engage with the Word, here are four of my favorite strategies to dig in a little deeper and approach our own Bible study time with fresh eyes and hunger to understand the context of what we are reading. Understanding that the Word of God is for all people has helped me simplify the way that I study the Word and create Bible study curriculum. I cried, “I’m not a theologian!” I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer mass of the book he gave me it was 4-inches thick. This learning takes time and patience, but is so worthwhile. Gaining confidence in reading the Bible is something that often needs to be learned. In doing life and engaging with people who openly struggled with opening their Bibles and yet had a heart for God, I discovered the intrinsic need for all people to be able to approach their Bibles with confidence and capability. ![]() How guilty am I of wanting to control outcomes and even the day-in and day-out of my life? How many times have I actually said, “I’ve done everything I can do, now I’ll just pray.” What if I started with prayer and then did whatever needed to be done? What if I started with the Word and followed with action? Perhaps it’s for the exact same reason that we sometimes lean into our own human ability to control rather than allowing the Spirit to lead and guide us. ![]() Growing in faith and time in the Word are synonymous and yet why is it that we often find ourselves doing anything and everything but diving into our Bibles? This tension led me to ponder the question, “How can you grow in your faith if you mistrust or misunderstand the Bible and consequently do not spend time studying it?” I think this question is one that applies to most Christ-followers, whether brand new to the faith or decades in and possibly finding yourself stagnant. As a small group and women’s ministry leader I met so many women who had a deep desire to grow in their relationship with Jesus and yet struggled to understand or trust the Word of God. In their experience, the Bible had been used as a tool to manipulate, control and confuse. During my three years of ministry in Utah, I was introduced to a whole group of people who had a deep misunderstanding and mistrust for the Bible.
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