Why The Bible Won’t Change Your Life
But it can lead to tremendous life change
The Bible is a jumping-off point.
But, it is not the only way to connect with God in order to see life change. Yet, we find ourselves going here for every single question or answer. In fact, many Christians expect to only find answers in the Bible.
Yet, the Bible is less about answers to life and more about knowing God.
After all, if you are looking for answers on who to marry or what job to do, or what major in college to take up, you won’t find a specific answer in the Bible. The Bible is full of great information, but it isn’t the end-all guide.
This is what creates a lot of problems for Christianity. People treat the Bible like a manual. But, I am not convinced that is the goal of the Bible. I believe that when we read the Bible, it is for us to know God. The creator of the universe. The author of our stories.
When we look at the Bible this way, it changes everything.
The Bible Isn’t A Manual
A while back, I had a conversation with a friend that confirmed my suspicion about people treating the Bible as a manual. We were talking about different topics and finally, he said this:
“The Bible has all the answers we need.”
I paused before responding. Because I knew that it doesn’t have answers to a great many things. But I let that sentence sink in for both of us. Finally, I said, “the Bible didn’t tell me to become a claims adjuster, but it did help me identify my priorities in order to lead me to be a claims adjuster.”
In fact, that has been true for many of my job decisions in my life.
The same goes for dating and marriage. The Bible didn’t tell me to marry my wife. In fact, it didn’t have the answers for many of my girlfriends or love interests in the past. But, it did provide me with the groundwork for what to look for in a woman.
The Bible doesn’t have all the answers.
If it doesn’t have all the answers, then it cannot be manual for life. However, it can give us a lot of insight into the way we can live. The Book of Proverbs is packed full of wise sayings that help us in life.
In fact, we can find Bible verses that we can apply to our lives. This helps us live differently and change the way we see the world. It can also help us to learn how to interact with people around us too. We can learn to apply the Bible to our everyday life.
So, if the Bible isn’t an instruction manual, what is it?
What if the Bible is a Letter from God to Us?
When I was a kid, my mom used to write letters to my grandma, uncles, and aunts. Sure, we had a telephone and so did they. And from time to time, they would talk on the phone. But most often they would write letters.
I once asked my mom why she wrote letters. She said it was because they always looked forward to getting letters from each other. And, it was a way to communicate what was going on and how they were feeling about life.
I never read any of the letters, but I do remember how much my mom’s day would be made when she got a letter from grandma. When I think back to those times, I love to think about how the Bible is a letter too.
Sure, it’s kind of a long letter, but it's a letter nonetheless.
The Bible is a letter to us from God. It tells us about Jesus and gives us insight into a story that has been going on since the beginning of time. It helps us know God better. Teaches us life lessons from time to time. And most of all strengthens our connection to God.
The Bible isn’t a manual, it’s an important letter.
This letter isn’t simply something you will skim through. It’s not an email that should get buried in your inbox. It is a letter to treasure and cherishes. The more we read it, the more we can learn from and about God. This is why it is important for us to read the Bible.
This is why I encourage people to read the Bible. It is important to learn from God, hear from God, and be inundated with His thoughts. The best way to do that is by reading the Bible regularly.
How to Create a Regular Bible Reading Habit
From the very beginning of my faith experience until now, I am still learning how to read my Bible on a regular basis. The habit changes from season to season.
When I was in college, I spent a lot of time learning how to get up early to read it before I started my day. This was a good habit up until I had children. With the birth of my first daughter, my Bible reading habit changed.
Now, three kids and a side hustle later, I am relearning how to make it a habit again.
However, a few things are always true:
- I need to set a time to do it.
- I need to set a place to do it.
- I need to have a plan before I do it.
Once I have these three things figured out, I am able to create a habit that lasts. Even now, I am adjusting my habit little by little. It’s okay if your first try to set up these three things don’t work.
The first two are typically the easiest to set by the way. The time and place are easy because you pick those and you have a good idea about what works best for you. The third one can be difficult.
I can help you with the third step.
Because I have been working on this Bible reading habit for years now, I have created some very easy plans for reading the Bible. They are prayer and meditative guides.
As I create them, I add them to my library of guides. And, when I create a new one, I send it out to the list of people who have downloaded them. So, you will always get the latest one.
If you are looking for a new way to read the Bible, check out my prayer and mediation guides today!