It can be frustrating as a young believer when you pick up the Bible and read and read but you can only make out the stories, wonderful promises, and Miracles of Jesus. It is like reading ‘ My book of Bible Stories.
God wants us to desire (Matthew 5:6; 1 Peter 2:2), dig into (John 5:39), divide (2 Timothy 2:15), and discern and learn His Word (John 6:44-45). By so doing, freedom is gained (John 8:32), faith is attained (Romans 10:17), access to the Father is sustained (John 6:44-45), man is perfected (2 Timothy 3:17) and the world neglected (2 Peter 1:3; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17).
Reasons we struggle to understand scripture
1. We do not invest enough time to study it.
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua 1:8 NLT
God told Joshua to meditate day and night. You would think this means only in the Morning or at night. Day and Night refers to a whole day. If it was just morning, the Bible would have said so.
2. We do not approach it with importance and seriousness.
This is the Word of God. We ought to take it seriously. The word that will determine our walk in this life and the one to come after. (Eternity). We spend more time on social media, television, and even at work. This shows that the word of God is not high on our priority list.
3. We do not approach the Bible with an Open Mind.
” Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT
Our mind needs renewal but we still try to process God’s words with the same mind. The words of God will challenge all we have ever known or seen as the truth. It will expose our weaknesses, sins, and hypocrisy.
Eventually making us better suited to walking with and pleasing God. Be open-minded and allow God to speak to us.
4. We do not ask for understanding.
Often we read scriptures and try to interpret them as we perceive them. This accounts for the high rise of watered-down preachings and teachings in the body of Christ.
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will help us understand and remind us what the scripture teaches. When we pray we receive understanding. There is usually something the Spirit wants to teach us then.
If the Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Bible, won’t the Holy Spirit help us understand it?
5. We go into scripture seeking our will and not God’s will.
Often, we go searching for scripture to back up what we think we know. So, we lose out on what we need to know. It is different if in our study, you have a topic and you are searching for that topic.
This is why we also pray and do not get answers because our motives are not right.
5. Lack of Faith
Understanding the scriptures requires we mix it with Faith. Everything we get from God and all that pertains to our spiritual walk with God requires Faith.
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it”. Heb 4:2 KJV
6. We do not Obey what is written.
How does Obedience help us understand the study of scriptures? Most things you get to understand are after you take steps of Faith to do them. Understanding does not just come when you read the Bible, when you apply them, you get to understand why they were written.
Also, don’t forget the Bible says not just hear but be doers of scripture
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:22 NLT
Jesus is Lord