We’ve all heard them, we’ve all used them. When we don’t want to do something we can and will find an excuse to get out of it. But what if I told you that reading the word will change your life In a way you never knew was possible? I know, I know, I probably sound like all the "so called Christians" , except I'm NOT. I am just as messed up as everyone is, which is why I desperately need a relationship with Jesus! The only true way to grow a relationship with Jesus is to get in His word. There is a difference in knowing of Jesus and knowing Jesus. To truly know him is to seek him and the only way to do that is to get into his word.
I'm not saying read it cover to cover, I’m just speaking of a few scriptures a day, or a chapter a day. The Bible is very complex and isn’t meant to be read like a regular book. To truly study the Bible is actually a lot of fun breaking down the scriptures and getting to the true meaning of each scripture, It is life changing on so many levels. Which brings me to the reasoning for this blog and why I’ve decided to debunk a few excuses that we’ve all used from time to time, me included! So, lets dive in!
• I can’t understand it.
I think this is the most common one and for good reason, it can be very difficult and overwhelming in the beginning. However, there are so many tools to help with this and there are lots of translations some of which are very useful because they’re written in the way we talk nowadays. Of course understanding it will require a little effort on your part but if my son who’s 18, that hates reading and is dyslexic can read and study his Bible then so can you. There are Bibles that are called “study” bibles and they’re so awesome!! Every scripture written has an explanation at the bottom of the pages to help you better understand it. As far as translations, everyone has different opinions on which is best. I was raised with the King James Version and I thought I’d go to hell if I read anything else. Ok maybe I went a little overboard on that one but my point being it was hard for me to be open about getting another translation. However, I found the perfect Bible that had KJV on one side of the page and the NIV on the other side of the page, therefore, I was able to double check each scripture to be certain I wasn’t being led astray. It just made me feel more comfortable but once I realized it’s still the Bible I got over that quickly. I have several Bibles of different translations and I use them all especially when I’m breaking down a scripture word for word. Bottom line is just get a Bible and begin, once you do the Holy Spirit will definitely let you know if the translation is incorrect I assure you.
• I go to church and/or watch sermons online so I don’t need to read it.
This one is an easy excuse to use however, hearing a sermon and spending time in the word of God are not even in the same category. Spending time in the word is how and where you build your relationship with Jesus. Although sermons are very helpful and really great to hear, the message just doesn’t stick long enough to last you all week long. Do you recall the last sermon you heard that got you so pumped up and you felt it in your soul and you made your mind up to implement it into your life, only to realize 20 minutes later stuck in traffic and someone cuts you off and shoots you the finger….let’s just say that sermon went out the window in a hot second. The preacher that delivered that sermon studied a week in his Bible to prepare so for him it stuck. We cannot have a true relationship with Jesus unless we open our Bible daily and spend time with him.
• I feel like church people act like they’re “better than me” so
Well I have to say that there is definitely some truth to that. I may get some backlash for saying that but if you know me at all then you know I tell it like it is and other people's opinions hold zero weight with me, God's opinion is my only concern. So yes, some church people act that way, but please don't allow them to hinder God's unconditional love for you. Also, their behavior is exactly why you should read the Bible. When we take a look at the people in the bible we clearly see that they were the most jacked up people EVER!! They were human just like we are. Here are a few examples below.
- Paul persecuted and had Christians killed as part of his efforts to stamp out Christianity, not to mention the other horrible things he did. (Before Paul became an apostle he was Saul of Tarsus which you can read about in Acts 8 as well as his conversion in Acts 9.) **Paul is one of the most influential people in the bible because of his radical transformation. He went from doing all the horrible things he did to repenting and following Jesus. His humbleness after his transformation is a huge inspiration.
- Moses Killed someone out of anger. (Exodus 2:11-22) He also couldn't lead his people to the promise land because of his temper and disobedience and lack of trust in God. (Numbers 20:12)
- Rahab was a prostitute and she was not someone you’d expect to be cast as a biblical hero. But when Rahab showed mercy to others, even though she had not received much mercy in her own life, she discovered that God was already loving her and showing mercy to her. God would ultimately weave the story of Rahab’s faithful courage into the family tree of Jesus himself. (Joshua 2)
I could go on and on with the examples in the bible but my point is, yes some people that go to church may act that way but we have to understand that they’re human too. We all mess up and fall short. (Romans 3:23-24) However, other people’s actions have nothing to do with reading the Bible. Once you begin reading, you will see that every person in the Bible was jacked up, just as we all are. If you’ve experienced this at a church and feel uncomfortable, find another church and go church hopping until you find your church home. You will find it if you keep trying. For now, just open the bible and begin growing your relationship with Jesus and you'll soon see that he will lead you where you need to be in every aspect of your life.
• I don’t have time.
This is a common one and it really comes down to priorities. Do you wait in line at Starbucks to get coffee? Do you get up earlier to workout before work? What do you spend what little time you do have doing? I finally realized that each day I wake up, the Lord is giving me a full 24 hours to live this life, therefore, the least I can do is wake up 30 minutes earlier to spend time with him in his word. I know this excuse is an easy one to use but when you look at it from the perspective of him giving us this day to live then 10, 20, 30 minutes doesn’t seem so hard to carve out.
• It’s boring.
I think we’ve all used this excuse at one point or another, however, the Bible is far from boring. What is the phrase you hear nowadays? “Sex sells” Well the Bible has plenty of that. It has violence, immorality, sexual content, you name it. It has it all.
I’m sure as a child you remember the story of Noah’s ark but that was the child version. You probably didn’t hear about the criticism Noah endured for 100 years and being made fun of for building a boat because people thought he was crazy when he told them there would be a flood. You probably also didn’t hear about the millions of people slowly drowning as the waters rose and how they begged to be saved. Then, I am certain you didn’t hear about Noah getting drunk after exiting the ark and being found passed out naked in his tent. I don’t think that part of the story would be suitable for children.
Other examples include, Abraham tries to pass his wife off to another man to save his own skin, like she’s a piece of property. Later, his son Isaac does the same thing. Also, Lot offers to let a violent mob gang to rape his daughters. In Genesis 19:7-8, Lot says, “Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” If that isn’t crazy enough, later Lot’s daughters get their own father drunk and sleep with him so that they can have children. In Genesis 19:34-36 “The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.”
This is just a glimpse into some of the stories in the Bible and as you can see, it’s far from boring. There are some really jacked up people in the Bible that will make you look at yourself and think gosh maybe I’m not too far gone after all. (That was a joke, but really! Haha) Bottom line is it’s very far from boring so that excuse is no more.
• I don’t know where to start.
This is a legitimate excuse because it can be overwhelming. Keep in mind the standard order of the Bible isn’t in the actual order that the events took place anyway, so it’s not important as to where you start it’s more important to just start! I always recommend to start in the New Testament but that’s only because that’s how I started. If you’re a history lover, like my son, then the Old Testament will probably be the best place for you to start. Like I mentioned before, the Bible isn’t meant to be read cover to cover like a book. So start where you want, and you don’t necessarily have to read an entire chapter at a time, I didn't when I started unless I felt led to or if it was important to understand the entire context of a scripture that I was digging into. I love breaking down scripture and spending a lot of time on just a few scriptures at a time. You’ll find your groove and the way that fits you best. The main thing is to just begin.
When I first really truly reading and studying it, I would hold my Bible and I’d pray a simple prayer for the Lord to lead me to what he needed me to hear and then I’d randomly open my Bible and I would start there. It is so cool how the Lord will do just as you ask and your mind will be blown at how whatever scripture he leads you to relates to your current situation. I pray that you decide it’s time for you to make that commitment and begin to grow your relationship with the Lord and begin this life-changing adventure. So open up your Bible and get started!
In Conclusion:
Now I pray that every excuse I’ve written about is no longer an excuse for you. I just felt led to debunk most of the excuses we all use. Growing our relationship with Jesus can't happen if we don't open our Bible and begin reading. Even if you only start with a scripture a day, the important part is to just start. Remember, he allowed you to wake up to this beautiful day and you have a full 24 hours, so giving him 10, 20, 30 minutes doesn't seem like too much to give him does it? I promise as you do dig in, your life, your perspective, and your whole world will change in a way you never thought possible. Sure, there will always be difficult times in your life but having that relationship with him, makes those difficult times a lot easier to endure. So, don't wait, start today and open that Bible and get
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