5 Dos and Don’ts Reading the Bible. The idea of this is to encourage the proper study of the Scriptures every day. It is very important to fill the mind with heavenly things to stay as far away from temptations as possible. And most importantly to equip us with the freedom to choose to do the will of God whenever we are presented with the opportunity. The Scriptures help us to understand who God is, what he wants but most importantly what he wants from me right here and now.
So, let us dig in:
1. Read the Bible every day. Do not go a day without reading anything from scripture.
This goes without saying: if we are working hard towards holiness, this is one of the key habits to develop. Obviously, you want to know God better and follow him more closely, which is why you are here. So, I usually recommend one chapter a day at least. It should not be too long as to confuse your mind or overwhelm you. But a small portion of the New Testament every day is the way to go. If you are so busy, then the habit of a few verses will help. This will give your mind something to wander off to any time you are idle during the day. Read our articles How To Have a Personal Relationship With Jesus and 3 Key Ways The Devil fights us and 10 Ways to Overcome Him we talked about this too.
2. Read with the intention of meeting God, not to fight or disprove someone/something:
The Bible contains God’s words. This is amazing news for us! Think about it, we do not have to speculate or wonder who God is, he has come to live with us on earth, gives us his body and blood in Holy Communion, and has left his word in Scripture so that we are NEVER alone! Have it in mind that reading the Bible is an encounter with Jesus and expect him to tell you something new every day. Do not read the Bible simply because you want to have argument points, or read the way you do your dictionary or encyclopedias.
3. Read slowly and prayerfully, do not be in a hurry.
Building on the last point, this encounter with Jesus is a wonderful thing. So savor it, appreciate it, and give thanks for it. Do not be in a hurry. Better to read a verse with great love and devotion than to skim through a whole chapter with no decorum. So, even if you are in a noisy place, collect yourself before readying God’s word. Consciously seek to understand his word and consider ways to apply them to your day-to-day life.
4. Read with the Church, do not study alone:
The Bible can be simple when proper contexts are understood. This is why I recommend reading bible commentaries from time to time. Mostly to shed more light on the meanings of each part of the scripture. Go for a Catholic Bible translation. Usually, the bigger ones have good commentaries, or better still download a Catholic bible app on your phone. Verbum is a really good one. So many of these apps provide good, true translations and give some details as to the meanings of what we read. This is important so we draw a richer meaning and enter the Lord’s mysteries even deeper.
5. Stop if you get confused. Don’t hurry to reach the end:
I think we can glean this point from what has been said but for the sake of emphasis let’s say it again. Read the Bible prayerfully and slowly. If you get stuck or confused, browse about the point and appeal to Catholic sources for clarity. This is why I recommend a small portion of Scripture so that you can take your time studying it. Do not see this daily reading as some “task” that needs fulfilling, probably to assuage your own pride. See it as a renewed encounter with Jesus. Like a love affair with God. So, be gentle, be patient, take your time.
5 Dos and Don’ts Reading the Bible. Please leave a comment. Thank you !
