Just the other day, as I was reading posts in a Christian social media group I’m part of, I saw one woman had posted a question, asking for advice. She wanted to know what to read next for her Bible study because the Bible had grown boring to her.

The question went something like this:

“What should I read next for Bible study? I’ve read the Bible four times and I’m bored with it. Give me all your suggestions for ways to make reading the Bible fun again!”

Ouch.

I literally groaned when I read it.

This woman, a seminary student by her own proclamation, had grown bored of the Bible. She felt like she’d studied it to its fullest, read it enough times, and gotten everything she could from it. Thus, she was bored.

She was looking for some *new* way to make the Bible meaningful and fun to her.

In my heart, I was sad for her.

This woman was grossly misunderstanding the Bible and the reasons why we study God’s Word.

She was treating the Bible like a textbook. Once she’d read it, she could put a check mark next to “Bible” and be done. As if somehow there’s a “done” to reading the Word of God.

Examine Your Heart – Why Do You Study the Bible?

Do you ever feel like reading the Bible is like reading a textbook—just something you’re supposed to do?

Do you ever feel like reading the Bible is boring?

Ever wondered, simply, why should I read the Bible?

If so, take a step back and think about why you consider the Bible to be boring. Really try to figure this out. Is it because you don’t like to read? Is it because you’ve had people try to shove Bible verses down your throat in unkind ways? Is it because you don’t believe what the Bible says? Maybe you’ve felt pressured to read the Bible to be seen as “good,” but when it comes down to scripture or Netflix, you know which will win.

Whatever the case, consider these nine verses from God Himself on why reading the Bible is so important. Then, I pray, you will go pick up your Bible (or swap to whichever Bible app you use) and actually read it, even if just for a few minutes.

Read God’s Word today, not just at some point in the future. The Bible is so much more than a book! It’s infinitely more than just a list of rules or a behavior modification technique.

God Himself, in His infinite wisdom, gives us many verses that prove the Bible is worth studying. When someone thinks Bible study is boring, maybe these verses can change their mind.

9 verses on the importance of reading the Bible:

1. Psalm 119:11 – “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”

2. Psalm 119:38 – “Establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You.”

3. Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

4. Matthew 4:4 – “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”’”

5. John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

6. John 15:7 – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

7. John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

8. 2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

9. Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

I could go on and on. But I want to take a moment to touch on each of these verses.

Going in order, Psalm 119 shows us just how precious the Word of God is to us. It’s a Psalm that essentially lays out the benefits of Bible study, in case you needed any.

Biblical Benefits of Bible Study

According to Psalm 119, studying the Bible helps us:

- Defeat sin (v. 11)

- Revere God (v. 38)

- Choose wisely (v. 105)

- Know truth (v. 160)

The other verses above prove that Bible study:

- Gives us life

- Reveals who Jesus is

- Allows our prayers to be answered

- Makes us more like Christ

- Teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains us to be righteous

- Actively changes us

If you hope to defeat sin, revere God, choose wisely, and know truth, then Bible study is the key!

Jesus Himself said that we live on the Words of God (Matt. 4:4). He says Bible study is as important as eating! In fact, it’s more important, in the spiritual sense. We’d be dead without it! How’s that for a reason to read the Bible? If Jesus used this line to defeat Satan, perhaps we should consider how powerful the Word of God really is. It gives us life, according to Jesus. Wouldn’t it be worth studying?

John 1:1 explains that the Word of God, mysteriously, is God. Jesus is the Word; He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Jesus is also the truth. He tells us He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And Jesus tells us God’s word is truth (John 17:17). So, Jesus is the Word and the truth. If we want to get to know Jesus, we should get to know the Word. How else can we know the truth about Jesus if we don’t know the Word?

You could learn all you want about a celebrity from what the tabloids say. But a much better way to try to know that person is to read his or her own words about their life. That’s why people follow celebrities online. They want to feel like they know that person, at least on some level.

Getting to know Jesus comes from knowing what He’s said. The Godhead has revealed Himself to us in one place: the Bible. To get to know God, we must study the Bible!

Also, Jesus reveals that our sanctification (or the process of us becoming holy, which means more like Christ) comes through the truth, and God’s word is truth. So, if we desire to become more like Christ, our most valuable resource for that is the Bible. Isn’t it worth studying?

In John 15:7 we learn that scripture dwelling in believers is what causes us to see our prayers answered. Wow, this is huge! “Dwelling” or “abiding” just means the Word of God is an active and constant part of our life, not a once-in-a-while thing that we barely care about. Unfortunately, this verse is often twisted to mean that we “get whatever we want” if we’re Christians. Well, that’s not what it says.

We can “ask whatever [we] wish, and it will be done” only if we abide in Christ, and His words abide in us. When we love, crave, and study God’s Word, we will come to love the things God loves. This is why we will “get what we want” when we pray because we will want what God wants.

God may not want you to have a Ferrari. He may not want you to have that boyfriend or girlfriend. He may not want you to have that job.

Praying for whatever we want doesn’t mean we’ll get it, just because we’re Christians. I may do a whole post on this later. But since we’re talking about why we should study scripture, let’s just leave it with, because then we’ll see our prayers answered. Studying scripture aligns our desires, and thus what we pray for, with God’s desires. God is delighted to “give you the desires of your heart” when they fully and only include Him and His ways (Psalm 37:4). Doesn’t that give you greater enthusiasm for studying God’s Word?

We also see from the above verses that the Bible is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16). That means that every word we read in the Bible is from God. Yes, men wrote the words down. But this scripture tells us that God inspired each and every word. If we want to get to know God, let’s get to know what He’s said.

Finally, we see that God’s Word is living and active (Heb. 4:12). It’s not just a book. It’s certainly not a textbook. And it isn’t boring. It’s alive. It’s active. It does things.

What does the Bible do?

We saw in 2 Tim. 3:16 that the Bible trains us in righteousness. It also teaches us, reproves us, and corrects us. It works in those who believe to create faith in their hearts (see 1 Thess. 2:13 and James 1:18). It is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). It keeps our way pure (Psalm 119:9). It reveals who God is and what He has done. It teaches us who Christ is. It shows us what we are without God and what we are in Christ (see Eph. 2). Bible study is how we are "transformed by the renewing of our minds" as well (Rom. 12:2). The Bible does many things. It truly is living and active (Heb. 4:12, 1 Pet. 1:23).

If these are not enough reasons to give you renewed excitement for studying God’s Word, I’m not sure there’s anything else I could say to help.

God’s Word is an unending joy for those who love God.

If you are struggling with excitement or joy over Bible study, ask God to renew your joy in Him. Consider praying these scriptures to gain a renewed desire for reading God’s Word:

Lord, I know that your Word is living and active. Use the Word to change me. Use the Word to reignite my joy in Bible study. Show me how deep and awesome Bible study can be. Cause me to see You in Your Word today.

Father, sanctify me in truth; Your word is truth. Draw me back to Your Word.

God, establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You. As I read Your Word today, please spark in me new reverence for You.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever felt bored with Bible study and what you’ve done to combat that. I hope these words have encouraged you today, but most of all, I hope the Word constantly encourages you.