Seize the Summer: Removing Barriers (part 1)featured

At our next workshop, we’ll consider what it looks like to be women whose lives are built on the Word of God, walking away with some tangible tools to dig into our Bibles over the summer.

We are commanded to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:25-28). But when we think about what it looks like to love God this way—with the entirety of our being—what do we picture? Oftentimes, we consider the things we are doing for God: the ways we are loving our neighbor, living out God’s mission, serving our families, or participating in ministry. These can be true and good expressions of our love for God. But Jen Wilkin writes, “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.”  Throughout Scripture we see this correlation between knowing God and loving Him. A disciple is first a learner; she sits at her Savior’s feet, seeing Him for who He is, cherishing Him as her treasure and portion (Luke 10:38-42).

How do we sit at our Savior’s feet? How do we come to see God as our greatest treasure, providing grace sufficient for our every need?

God has chosen to reveal Himself through His inspired Word. When we come before the Scriptures, we are taken with His majesty. We see the continuity of His character as it spans the pages of history. We begin to testify to His faithfulness in the lives of sinful people like us. We behold His glory in the face of Christ.

So why don’t we? These are the words of eternal life, promising to quench weary souls, but many of us are dying of thirst. There are many barriers that keep us from spending time in Scripture. Here are some that I’ve encountered in myself and others:

“I don’t understand it.”
“I don’t get anything out of it.”
“I know I should, I just don’t.”
“I don’t have time.”
“I’m not a learner, not a morning person, not…”
“I connect with God in other ways.”
“I don’t agree with everything the Bible says.”
“Isn’t obedience and mission more important than head knowledge?”
“I don’t really need to study, I just need to love.”
“I don’t need theology, I just love God.”

What are the barriers that keep you from spending time in the Word?

Let’s start by tackling the first two, which I label: Intimidated.
“I don’t understand it.”
“I don’t get anything out of it.”

If these are the barriers we’re facing, we may need to first adjust our expectations. The Bible was written in languages we don’t understand to a culture that is completely foreign to us. They were written words given to a largely illiterate people. That doesn’t mean it is not understandable and applicable for us today, but it does mean that it requires Spirit-empowered effort. Often we want to sit down and read for a few minutes and walk away with a nugget of truth to carry us through the day. Wilkin likens it to a debit account. We want to come to our Bibles and make our withdrawal for the day. But really, our study of Scripture is like a savings account. Every time we come before Scripture, we are making a deposit. We are building an arsenal that the Spirit can use to anchor us in truth when we face suffering and temptation. It may not feel like we are learning anything, but as we persevere, we can trust that God will use His Word to renew our minds and transform our hearts.

If it’s the effort that’s intimidating, we may just need to learn the right tools. This makes me the most excited, because our workshop on June 13th and the Bible study that follows are set up to give you those tools and provide you with an opportunity to practice them.

Even if you are fairly confident in your study of Scripture, sometimes a renewed look at our process breathes new life into our pursuit. And new tools can equip us to better come alongside others who need encouragement and guidance in the process.

In a few following posts, we’ll look at the other barriers I listed and try to clear the way that we could come before Scripture uninhibited. Let’s seize the summer as an opportunity to invest in our spiritual growth, that we could know God more fully and therefore love Him more deeply.

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If you haven’t signed up for the Women’s Workshop and/or Summer Bible Study, the deadline to register is Monday, June 6th.