Looking for God and not yourself | bible study tip

 

Looking for God and not yourself 

Bible study tip 

I heard this piece of advice, which I thought was really valuable. It's simply this: when you read the Bible, try not to look for yourself in the pages. Instead, when you read the Bible, try to look for God in the pages. Read the Bible to know Him. Read the Bible to understand Him. Read the Bible to see Him. Read the Bible to have a relationship with Him! That, I believe, will change the way you read the Bible and get to know Him. 

When reading, I recommend highlighting or underlining whenever you see His characteristics show up. Highlight what He says and the words He speaks. Ask yourself: Who is God? What does He say about Himself? What does He love? What does He hate? What pleases Him and displeases Him? What can I learn about Him today? 

I love asking myself these questions. I’ll have a specific highlighter or pen for highlighting God’s character and what He says. I also love reading through the Bible, looking to learn more about a specific characteristic of God. Maybe I want to learn more about the love of God or His justice, so I’ll highlight and circle whenever His love or justice is mentioned and write in the margins things I learn or that stand out to me. I think this is a really important skill to learn and do. In looking for God in the pages, you go from looking for yourself and what stands out to you and what applies to you to looking at God, your Creator, Savior, and King. 

Just think: if you were to pick up a book and it’s about this character named Sally, but the whole time you are reading, you are looking for your name, likes, and personality to show up. If you do that, then you’ll never understand the book. You’ll think it’s confusing and odd and not for you because your focus is on the wrong things. You are so focused on yourself that you can’t actually read the book or understand who Sally is or her story. Friend, I don’t know about you, but I know I have done this and do this when reading the Bible. I can get so stuck in how this relates to me that I lose sight of the main character and His story. The Bible is about God and how He through His son Jesus Christ, saved us and made a way for us to be with Him and know Him through the Holy Spirit. 

I don’t know if this relates to you or speaks to you at all, but if it does, then I want to encourage you to start reading the Bible today, focusing on finding God. Learn about Him. Build a relationship with Him. Find Him in the pages today. 

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord.”

—Jeremiah 29:13-14

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