Why You Struggle With Bible Study (& How to Fix it!)

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I attend a Bible study once a week and this past semester we were reading through Beth Moore’s Book, Audacious. One chapter we read discussed the difference between our wants and our needs and it was incredibly insightful. A lot of things “clicked” for me after reading that chapter.

Before this study I had always wondered what had kept me from growing spiritually. I have grown more in the last 2 years than I have my  whole life and I often ponder why that is.

When I read through this chapter, it all clicked: I wasn’t growing before because I didn’t want to grow. I was comfortable right where I was.

Wants & Needs

Our wants and our needs drive our decisions and actions every single day whether we are conscious of them or not. We even verbalize our “needs” to ourselves and to others but most of the time, we do nothing about them.

We say things like “I need to exercise more” or “I need to cook at home and not eat out so much” or “I need to spend more time in Bible study and in prayer.” We speak our needs out loud but nothing really changes.

The problem with this is that we rarely do something just because we need to. If there is a need in your life, it is unlikely you will take action steps to meet that need unless something makes you actually want to.

Want or desire for something stems from one of two places. Either you see immense value in it and that makes it desirable enough for you to take action OR you reach a place of desperation and have no other choice but to meet that need.

Here is the real, honest truth: you are never going to do anything unless you want to do it.

Do You Really Want It?

Even when we do hard things we don’t want to do, like a boring 9-5 office job or a 2 mile run in the cold, there is a value in the outcome of that effort. Something motivates us enough that we want the outcome more than we don’t want to do the task.

So, in order to make serious changes, we have to work to see the value. This is why before and after fitness pictures are so motivational and why inspiring stories of miraculous outcomes move us so much. We see the outcome in that moment, not the struggle or the time it took to get there.

The assumption of value of reading your Bible and learning to study it is all over the place. It is on social media, in books and definitely gets talked about from the pulpit. But for that to mean anything to us, we have to see how that applies to our own lives.

One of the best ways I have done this is to surround myself with people who are getting it; read books from fierce Christian women, listen to expository sermons, attend a women’s group at your church, pray that God would bring these kinds of women into your life.

Get in the presence of people who will inspire you to get in God’s presence.

Once you see their fire and passion, it becomes so contagious that you want what they have and you will fight to figure out how to get it for yourself. In order to grow, we have to get uncomfortable and try new things. No one grows in their comfort zone.

So, here are some of the reasons you might be struggling to make Bible study a regular habit and some practical ways to overcome them.

Reason #1: You Don’t Know Where to Start

How to Fix It: Start with the Gospels. Dig deep into each of them and learn about Jesus and His time on earth. Learn from his relationships with His disciples and the lessons he taught them. Jordan Lee of The SoulScripts actually has a wonderful FREE guide that takes you through all 4 Gospels.

After the Gospels, read Genesis and get an understanding of where it all began.

After that, take some time to dig into the Psalms. This will usher your heart into an attitude of praise and give your verses to cling to in times of anxiety and stress.

Reason #2: Scripture Is Too Hard to Understand

How to Fix It: There are a variety of ways to combat this. Read commentaries or utilize a guided study. These resources will help to explain the historical and cultural context of the passage and reveal nuances of the original language.

Also, try reading the passage in multiple translations such as, NIV, ESV, The Message, NLT, etc.

I used to read through scripture and barely understand it until I started using some of these methods. My personal favorite is to use a commentary over whatever passage I am reading. Usually, commentaries are broken down in 2-3 verse chunks which makes reading a chapter far less overwhelming. I read the chunk, read the commentary and make notes of what I learned. I work through scripture like this every time I read.

Sometimes, I make it through the whole chapter, but often I only make it about halfway because I am learning so much.

I use Blue Letter Bible commentaries when I study the Bible and it is a wonderful, free resource. You can also read my tips for better bible study here!

Reason #3: It Feels Like a Chore

i.e. you don’t want to.

How to Fix It: Find a way to make reading your Bible fun and exciting. Purchase a new Bible with journaling margins for notes. Grab some fun, colored pens and mark it up!

Get a pretty journal to write in or purchase a book or guided study that you are interested in. The Daily Grace, Co has TONS of pretty journals, study guides, and tools that can get you excited about opening your Bible. I have their Bible highlighters and a few of their studies and I LOVE them.

Start small and let the intoxicating truth of Scripture draw you in.

Another way would be to join a local Bible study or find an online community to study the Bible with. Or ask a friend to meet with you regularly to discuss your Bible study.

Reason #4: You (Think) You Are Too Busy

How to Fix It: The fact that you are reading this post means you’re not. I don’t mean to be harsh, but I’ve been convicted of this so many times that I know it’s true. I used to feel like I didn’t have enough time to read my Bible but I sure had enough time to scroll through Facebook or Pinterest for 30 minutes.

Something I learned a long time ago is that if something is important to you, you will make time for it. Our actions reveal our priorities.

One thing that helped me fight some of my bad, time-sucking habits and open up my Bible was making my social media spark spiritual growth. A great way to start getting the Bible into your daily routine is using the First 5 App. I love this app because it is one chapter of a book of the Bible a day with commentary and teaching.

It is super easy to digest but is still deep enough to feel like you have gotten some substance. You can go deeper each day as well with their additional add-on study guides and in-app questions.

Reason #5: You Think Devotionals Are the Same Thing as Bible Study

How to Fix It: Learn that they are not the same. I used to read through books and one verse devotional books and emails thinking I was engaging in Bible study. Was I reading scripture? Yes. But that is not the same thing as studying.

The word “study” is defined as “the devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an academic subject, especially by means of books” or “a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation.”

Devotionals are not bad; they point us to scripture and to Christ. However, they are not deep. They are like an appetizer or a snack, not a full meal. You cannot thrive and grow on devotionals alone.  They just don’t allow for deep analysis and investigation into Scripture.

They should be used to supplement deep study, not as the main event. I use devotionals all the time, but they do not substitute deep study in my life. My heart and spirit begin to weaken if I try to to survive on the breadcrumbs of devotionals for too long.

Deep study of scripture is where our thirst and hunger for truth is satisfied.

Studying the Word is where you really get to know who God is and how to apply scripture to your own life. That is where it will begin to mean something to you.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? Are there other reasons that you struggle? Tell me about them in the comments!