Pick up your Bible! It’s time to connect with scripture!

If you’re a new or born-again Christian who is struggling to read the Bible or avoiding it, this blog post is for you because it’s time to pick up your Bible and connect with Scripture!

Table of Contents

• Let me tell you a story…
• But what’s really preventing us from picking up our Bible and connecting with scripture?
• Why is the bible so important, and how can it transform our lives?
• Start With the Gospels
• Try the NIV Translation
• Use a Study Bible
• Join a Bible Study
• Download the YouVersion Bible App
• Please Start Small!
• Pray Before You Start Reading
• Worried you might not understand what you’re reading?
• You Got This!

We may not want to admit it, but many born-again Christians (me included) have been in your shoes at some point. We don’t all become drawn to the word and want to spend every second of the day reading it the moment we become Christians. Those of you who did, I’m genuinely happy for you and love you dearly, and may find some practical nuggets of wisdom within this post. But as much as I love you you’re not the ones I’m trying to speak to today.

This post is for new and born-again Christians who know they need to pick up the Bible and connect with scripture but aren’t doing so. Those who feel as if it’s some kind of chore. The individuals who are intrigued by the Word of God but haven’t got a clue where to start. But as usual, I’m going to warn you before you proceed! This might be a challenging read as it will convict so please, proceed with caution.

Don’t come for me if this hits a nerve either! This is a message that I believe the Lord wants me to share to help you overcome this obstacle because it’s hindering your walk with him. It’s not to make you feel guilty, shame or condemn you. That’s not how we roll!

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links which means that I may earn a commission should you chose to make a purchase using my link.

Let me tell you a story…

In all honesty, I respect anyone brave enough to admit that the Bible overwhelms them and that they don’t enjoy reading it. There is no shame in doing so; being honest about how you feel is important. There’s also a boldness and hunger that comes with admitting that you don’t know how to navigate scripture, or that none of it makes sense to you.

Unfortunately, boldness and hunger were two of many things I lacked in the early stages of my Christian journey, so picking up my bible and connecting with scripture was something that I was in no rush to do. No disrespect but I wasn’t interested. It was boring to me. I thought that there were better things I could do with my time. It was too long and full of words that didn’t make any sense so what was the point?

I also queried its relevance because in my head it was outdated. How could something written thousands of years ago apply to life today? Well, let’s just say we thank God for grace because here I am four years later, struggling to go a single day without it. You see times and seasons may have changed but…

It wasn’t until I became a regular churchgoer and spent time with mature Christians that the significance of the Bible became apparent to me. I noticed that every sermon would start with a Bible reading, and then at least once per sermon whoever was preaching would mention the importance of Christians being in the word. In fact, reading the Bible was one of the most common pieces of advice people gave me as a new believer. But I continued to brush it off because it just wasn’t for me…

However, the more involved I became in the life of the church; I noticed that people around me could recite scripture off the cuff, and they always seemed to be so relevant to whatever was happening. The scriptures also seemed to bring so much comfort even when things weren’t going so well.

Over time I started to feel guilty and become consumed with intense feelings of shame because I never knew any, and I felt like I never had anything to contribute. I know I was still a baby Christian, but I really started to feel like one! These negative emotions weren’t from God, but it’s safe to say that he used them to get my attention and correct me.

I was also an aspiring writer (I still am!) and as Banji Alexander brilliantly puts it, good writers make good readers! I knew that reading was a habit I needed to reengage with generally, but deep down, I also knew that there was only so far that I could go in my Christian journey without the practice of reading the Bible and it was about time I got started. It became more and more apparent that people weren’t just telling me to pick up my Bible and connect with scripture for the sake of it, they genuinely found comfort, guidance and wisdom in the word and you could see that it was having a profound impact on their lives.

But what’s really preventing us from picking up our Bible and connecting with scripture?

Busy schedules and time restraints are common excuses and obstacles we’ll always come up with to justify the fact that we aren’t reading the word. No shade, they were my go-to’s too! But if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us are just terrible at managing distractions and don’t see it as a priority. We allow ourselves to consume information in excessive amounts – most of which have no value and just aren’t necessary. We’ve got to a point where we are just bombarded with information daily, so when we do eventually find time to spare, we don’t have the brain power left to focus or absorb anything.

Yes, the Bible is overwhelming and quite daunting to start with, especially if you’re no avid reader! But as you know, I like to be as transparent as possible and I think one of the biggest reasons why we struggle to pick up our Bibles and connect with scripture is due to the fact that we know deep down that IT CONVICTS!

When you’re up to no good and doing things you know you probably shouldn’t be, the last thing you want to do is willingly read something that will draw you out and expose your shortcomings. I can only speak for myself, but I know that my life completely contradicted the word of God at the time, so reading it as a new Christian hurt!

But familia…there is grace! The Lord doesn’t want you to read the Bible and then feel guilty and start beating yourself up! No! He wants you to read it, acknowledge your shortcomings, repent, and surrender your life to him so that he can take control, clean your heart and help you find your way. Oh how I wish I knew this at the time!

Also, I don’t ever want to give this waste man any credit, but Satan will keep you from picking up your Bible for as long as possible! He knows that once you connect with scripture and get to grips with it, he’s eventually going to be evicted. You see the Bible not only convicts and calls you to repentance, it also equips you and renews your mind, the place Satan terrorises the most!

So now that we’ve considered some of the real obstacles that prevent us from reading the word, let’s look at some of the reasons why it’s so important.

Why is the bible so important, and how can it transform our lives?

Funnily enough there’s a few scriptures that come to mind as I attempt to answer this question:

• All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness – 2 Timothy 3:16.
• So is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it – Isaiah 55:11.
• For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart – Hebrews 4:12.
• Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path – Psalm 119:105.

Basically everything you’ll ever need to navigate this crazy Christian life lies within it. As someone who values personal development, I have invested a significant amount of time and money in improving myself. I have read books, taken courses, and attended numerous seminars and webinars to try and become the best version of myself. While some of these have been fantastic, I can safely say that the Bible has been the ultimate personal development resource I’ve come across to date. Here are reasons why:

#1 Packed full of wisdom, the Bible gives you everything you need to live an honest, fulfilling, healthy and successful life. It’s the blueprint for holy and righteous living, being a good person and honouring our Lord and Saviour. I’m telling you now, nothing has impacted my life, especially my mindset, attitude, and heart the way the Bible has. It continues to renew my mind daily and if you prioritise setting the time aside to intentionally study it as often as possible, I guarantee you it will do the same for you!

#2 Reading the Word is also key to discovering who you are in Christ. You have a whole new identity in Christ Jesus, but if you want to embrace this and learn more, your head needs to be in the Word!

#3 Lastly, you need to pick up the Bible and connect with scripture so that you know who God is, and what he says for yourself. With so many false prophets, teachers and doctrines floating about these days, the only way you can be sure of the truth is by reading it for yourself. It simply isn’t enough for you to hear it being regurgitated by someone else.

I could say more, but I think you get the point which is the fact that the Bible is God’s word, our weapon, and the foundation of the Christian faith. Everything we need to know about God, the Christian faith, Jesus, and how to live right is found within it.

So with that being said, it’s time to pick up your bible! Anxious to get started? Here are a few tips to help you.

Start With the Gospels

Start by reading the gospels in the New Testament. Some more mature Christians would advise starting with the book of John, then going back to the beginning and reading Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Personally, I would recommend this approach, but it’s no biggie if you want to start from the beginning in Matthew. The gospels will help you understand who Jesus is which will lay the foundation you need to interpret the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament later.

Try the NIV Translation

These days there are so many different Bibles and translations flying around and while this is beautiful to see, one could argue that this kind of makes navigating the Bible even more challenging!  I found the NIV version helpful to start with because it’s easier to understand but doesn’t seem to dilute or compromise the message. I am no bible study teacher so I could be totally wrong, but I’ve also found this translation more accurate than other simplified translations such as The Message (MSG).

Use a Study Bible

My study bible changed the game and I know they are quite pricey, but they are so worth the investment. I would highly recommend purchasing one if you can afford to. I bought this exact one for my dad last year and he loves it.

Not only do they have Jesus’ words written in red, but they contain materials that will develop your knowledge and understanding of the faith, the Bible and theology generally. There are pen profiles covering the different people you come across, and comments at the bottom of every page to help you understand what you’ve read. Not to mention the maps and cross-references that give you so much context you didn’t know you needed!  

Join a Bible Study

I know this can often be easier said then done, but if you are part of a church family, I urge you to strongly consider joining a Bible study group and getting stuck in. Being part of a group holds you accountable and can help you navigate any challenges you encounter as you attempt to connect with scripture. It’s also a great way to plug into Christian community and connect with others who share your faith. The Christian walk is hard to navigate on your own, and more mature Christians have a lot of wisdom and insight they can offer. Even if you can’t commit to attending weekly, sign up, get connected and make an effort any way you can.

Download the YouVersion Bible App

When you are travelling or short on time, the YouVersion Bible app is a lifesaver! With so many translations now available to read in the app, and an incredible range of devotionals to choose from, this resource is also great way to connect with scripture wherever you are, especially if you’re on a budget.

Please Start Small!

If you don’t have a Bible reading routine, please don’t overwhelm yourself. I’m all for aiming high but the reality is if you set the bar too high, you’ll get discouraged quickly and throw in the towel. Start small. Aim to read the word for 5-10 minutes a day and once you start doing that consistently, take it from there.

Pray Before You Start Reading

I can’t stress this enough; it might not make much sense to you now but get into the habit of praying before you pick up the Bible, because it has a huge influence on your study session. A simple “Thank you Lord for your word, thank you for giving me time to read it today, please will you speak to me through it and guide me to scriptures that you need me to read today” goes a very long way!

Worried you might not understand what you’re reading?

That’s natural – don’t beat yourself up. Take your time. Stop, pause and ask the Lord to speak to you. Ask the holy spirit to help you interpret what is being said or what it means. If you are plugged into a Christian community and have trusted mature Christians you can speak to, ask them for help or guidance. There are also a few good bible study websites around that you can use such as Bible Study Tools but please be careful when searching for answers online and query the quality and reputation/reliability of the source that you’re using.

You Got This!

You should know me by now, I try my hardest to be as real as possible with you…reading the Bible can be a hard pill to swallow and you’re not going to want to read it all the time. Some days you won’t be able to put it down, but other days you’ll read a scripture and struggle to move past it.

The Bible will challenge you and make you question everything you’ve ever believed. It will shine a spotlight on your sin that will also become difficult to ignore. But there is good news…you’ve been set free and there is grace big enough to cover you and help you overcome because you are an overcomer in Christ!

So, what are you waiting for? Go pick up your Bible, connect with God’s word today and let him speak to you through it. Familia, it’s time to level up your faith! If you’re reading this and have any other tips you’d like to share, drop a comment below to help our brothers and sisters in Christ 🙂

Until next time,

Liv x