If you are anything like me, the concept of reading or praying through the Bible starts with Genesis or the Gospels. It was an approach that worked well at first, but then I found myself reading through the same passages over and over again. That’s great to do too, but I wanted to start reading through other books of the Bible that I was less familiar with. I was discussing this with my sisters as we were doing a Bible study together, and it struck me that I could do it differently and it would be okay.
I tend to start reading through the Bible with good intentions of actually finishing it, but then life happens, I get sidetracked, and then completely forget where I left off… Which just starts the cycle all over again. Then I read an amazing and insightful book Bible passage and think about how great it will be to read it in context of the whole book – once I get there.
My epiphany happened when I realized that I didn’t have to wait to “get there.”
Let me ask you. Do you have some favorite Bible verses? Have you ever read the full book that it came out of? In most cases, I haven’t either.
One of my favorite Bible passages is Philippians 4:4-7 – “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Beautiful and inspiring, isn’t it? And yet – I had never read through all of Philippians in any intentional way.
That’s when I realized that I didn’t have to wait until I had read every book before Philippians before I could actually read Philippians itself. The Bible is here to speak to us in our times of need, to become familiar with the voice of God, and to grow closer to Him. By thinking that I had to start at one end and work to the other, I had unintentionally put a box around God. In a way, even when I was hearing God speak to me through a verse, I told God that I couldn’t fully hear His word more fully in that inspired book until I had “gotten to it.”
I listened to God’s invitation to read His word more fully in Philippians by being drawn to that passage, and I wasn’t disappointed. I opened my Bible up to Philippians, and my soul continued to be nourished by His word. In it, God spoke to me about what it looks like to fully trust Him each and every day. He showed me His goodness and His mercy, and just how much He is in control even when life looks bleak, dark, and scary.
What Bible passages have you been drawn to lately? How could they be an invitation to dig deeper into God’s word in those particular books?
What is it that God wants you to hear right now?
Read from that book a little at a time, take time to think through what He’s saying and pray, and God will nourish your soul in a beautiful way!
P.S. We are all on a journey of Faith filled with battles that challenge our trust in God. I’m here to help you work through those battles, and invite you to a free clarity call where we’ll have an open discussion about what is going on in your life right now and how I can help specifically.
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P.S.S.Would you love to be part of a community that desires to support one another and lift each other up – to remind one another that God is good, that He is in control, and that He has a plan for whatever is going on in our lives? I invite you to come join us in Christian Moms Seeking Peace! www.facebook.com/groups/momsseekingpeace
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