In a manner which is best for you.
On a hot summer day, I was hiking in the foothills of the Denver metropolitan area. As I was on the last stretch of my hike down a trail, I talked with a young man who was headed up the trail. I quickly learned he is a college student, and that he is a Christian. He told me about a commitment he made to read the Bible in one year, even though that endeavor was in addition to all of his college course work. That summer he was near the conclusion of that compressed reading ordeal. However, he expressed that, sadly, his Bible reading had become a “chore.”
We continued to talk, and I told of my common practice of pondering a passage. It is common for me to ponder one particular passage for several days or even a week. I have given intense thought for several days at a time to many passages over the years. To illustrate my study method, I told about my study of the book of Matthew. It started in the fall of 2020, and was completed in the early winter of 2024. And that was at least the third time I have carefully studied Matthew since I turned to Christ.
I concluded by giving my personal advice: “Read it as slow as you want.”
That young man seemed relieved. And that young man seemed blessed by my personal advice. Encouraging him made my week.
In learning from the Bible, there are two dynamics to start off with: First, each individual person is unique. Thus we people have different learning styles. I for one am an interactive learner and an intense thinker.
Second, the various authors of the sixty-six books of the Bible had different writing styles and used different literary forms. Thus individual books of the Bible need to be read with a mode of discernment.
When it comes to Bible study, some people like to read page after page from their favorite commentaries. Others like to journal their thoughts. Others like to stand in silence and ponder what they have read. Regarding myself, I love to ponder. Yet there was a season in my life where journaling was a standard practice within my study. And there have been certain books of Scripture where I needed the aid of a commentary. I was blessed in 2002 to have a special commentary which enabled me to successfully study the book of Zechariah.
You will even have different needs in different seasons during your Christian journey. Learning from the Bible is a personal venture.
Now community efforts can support Bible study, yet it needs to be a fitting community for you. Likewise, books can support Bible study, yet it needs to be a book which fits your mode. My top five Christian books of the past 35 years might be completely different than your top five.
Keep striving to learn from God. And even though there will be consistent challenges, overall our learning should be an enjoyable experience. We are talking about Scripture, the loving revelations to us from our great God! Time with God in Bible study and prayer can be cherished.
Whatever your manner of learning, when reading a Bible passage, we must listen for the message God has for us. Thus we all need help from the Holy Spirit to hear Him through those words on a page. Thus prayer is needed to help us get focused on hearing from our living God.
Hunter Irvine
Scripture Love Blog
