Have you ever marveled at the uniquely human ability to read? My training as a literacy teacher and researcher has challenged me to understand what actually happens in the mind while eyes are gazing at words on a page or screen. Reading to understand words is a complex orchestration of brain activity. Indeed, reading reflects the wonderful gifts of language, visual processing and sense-making that God has given humankind—gifts that we should put to good use to learn more about God and His creation. 

Unfortunately, too many students would rather avoid reading, especially if it feels difficult or unproductive. Choosing not to read results in fewer opportunities to learn from texts and grow. Since reading is such a vital part of our spiritual lives as Christians (and life in general), it is important to consider how to make Bible reading more efficient and meaningful.

As noted in Joshua 1:8, God has shared His Word to help us prosper. A bit more detail can be found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This means that we have different reasons for reading the Bible—different goals depending on our needs at different times. And they’re all for our benefit. 

Some of these goals include: 

  • Getting to know God better
  • Understanding laws and commandments
  • Visualizing things that have happened and anticipating what is predicted
  • Receiving answers to important questions
  • Communing with God to receive wisdom, comfort, hope and strength

Recommendations for Better Reading

What follows are a few recommendations I’ve come across in my research. My hope is that these will help you develop as a Bible reader and allow you to get more out of your time spent with God’s Word.

1. Start with a goal

We should come to a text with a personal quest for the reading. We commonly spend more time on aspects of texts that pertain to our predetermined goals (known as the “relevance effect”). Without a goal, reading can become an aimless or mindless task. Essentially, putting in time reading the Bible is not the same as gaining understanding from it. It works better to set personal goals for your reading. Praying for help to meet a reading goal can also enhance the whole process.

It should be noted that starting with a predetermined goal does not mean starting with a predetermined outcome. Our goal should be to better understand what Scripture means, not just find a scripture that supports a thought we already have.

Studies have also shown that we read differently when our goal is to learn something new than when we read for entertainment. Even young children attend to texts differently when asked to read to understand how and why, instead of when reading for details or general information.

Goals to start with:  

  • Gain information about historical context 
  • Receive correction from God 
  • Learn spiritual principles 
  • Develop deeper understanding 
  • Be encouraged, edified or inspired

Exercises to try:  

  • Read to answer how and why questions, not just for who, what and when details. For instance, read Genesis 18:22-33 to understand why or how Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. This could result in a different understanding than reading the account just to rehearse what happened. 
  • Read from different perspectives. For example, have you read the verses in Matthew 14:22-33, which describe Peter walking on water at Christ’s behest, from the perspective of Christ versus Peter? We can ask, as Christ did, why did Peter doubt? We can also consider, how did Christ respond? Another productive comparison of perspectives could be that of Jacob versus the Being with whom he wrestled in Genesis 32:22-32.

May you read and prosper!  CC