Struggling to Read the Lord's Word

These last couple months have been filled with uncertainty, loneliness, and confusion. Many of us have been uprooted from our daily routines and placed in our homes for the majority of our days. God has given us this time to use wisely, to create a closer relationship with Him, and reconnect to our faith. This is a very large and challenging task to complete, but we must know that He is always right there by our sides helping and encouraging us to search for Him. A great way to seek God and deepen your faith is through reading the Bible. The Bible is filled with many stories about creations, falls, redemptions, and restorations. The Bible is packed with immense detail and information on how we should live out our lives in faith. Reading the bible is a long process and takes a lot of effort and time, but it helps us learn our faith and learn about God. My parents, religious leaders, and Priest have all encouraged me to read the bible; to know it and to love it. I have attempted to read the Bible countless of times, and I have failed to finish. I want to know God’s stories and I want to be able to read and understand His works, but I have had great difficultly reading the Bible. I have found myself giving up and quitting way too much. I have not quit on much in my life, but I constantly find myself leaving the bible unread. Many times, throughout my life I have felt embarrassed and judged for not understanding information, forgetting different stories, and asking questions on confusing topics in the Bible. I have never realized until recently that what I learn and take away from the Bible is between God and I. When I read the Bible, God is letting me learn about His stories and is giving me the ability to put my faith at the forefront of my brain and my life. I have definitely failed many times in my faith and in reading the Bible, but I know God is always standing there with wide open arms to bring me right back to where I belong. Christ teaches us that by offering up our struggles and hardships, especially when it comes to reading the bible, we can sanctify ourselves and others and participate in his redemptive work. We all make mistake and we all fail at times, but we can all be a part of Gods works and we can all read God’s Bible. God has given us this time to reflect and read His works. To seek out our faith and fill up our time with His Readings. I have just begun to start reading the Bible again and this time I have taken a different approach. I have found that it is important to be equipped with the right tools to search for information and understand different passages. I have learned how to read the bible before diving in. I read a book by Jen Wilkin called, Women of the Word, this book has guided my study, and has taught me to create a clear and vibrant path to follow each time I open the bible. I know it will not be an easy task to complete and I know I will not understand everything I read in the bible, but this has created a starting point for me. I recently purchased a study bible called, The Didache Bible, which gives extra context and knowledge to all of the books and verses in the bible. I have taken another step closer to strengthening my relationship with God and this time I am not attempting to read the Bible again; I am going to read the Bible.

Dear God,

Anoint me with your Holy Spirit, so that as I read your eternal word, your words may penetrate my whole being and transform me. Grant me the blessings to be faithful disciple in believing the Word of God and that I may be a light shining upon all who are in darkness.

Amen