Renewing My Love For Scripture.

etexas · #1 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 10:59 PM

I am a fast reader, one of the things I wanted to do this year is reread the Bible cover to cover, I once used to go through the Bible at the rate of a Book a week. People, it seems so difficult now. I get side tracked and I am ashamed to say...sometimes bored. Why was this once so joyful? Why does it now feel like a chore. I feel guilt for feeling like this which make it worse. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! Does anyone else ever feel like this or has anyone ever had this dry spell.

turmeric · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 11:08 PM

I have them also. Going through one right now.

Semper Fidelis · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 11:18 PM

Moved to Pilgrim's Progess. I think the difficulty lies in the fact that it's work and labor to some regard. All work is difficult now due to the Fall.

Habit makes Scripture reading easier for me not to treat it like toil.

etexas · #4 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

Moved to Pilgrim's Progess. I think the difficulty lies in the fact that it's work and labor to some regard. All work is difficult now due to the Fall.

Habit makes Scripture reading easier for me not to treat it like toil.

Rich, what happens when habit becomes difficult?

Semper Fidelis · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I follow Jesus

Rich, what happens when habit becomes difficult?

Honestly, it's habit that makes the difficult less difficult for me. If I don't have the habit then the thing becomes even more difficult than it was before I had the habit.

We used to be very sporadic in my home with respect to family devotions because I didn't always want to sit at the dinner table and eat. Forcing ourselves to eat earlier so we could interact with the kids and pray and sing with them made it much easier. It's delightful while it is occuring but I don't look forward to it with relish.

I've honestly never found anything in life that is worth doing that isn't hard to do consistently. Maybe I'm just not spiritual enough but the most beneficial things are usually the hardest to get excited about while sloth is incredibly easy.

Do I take delight while I'm reading the Scriptures? Sometimes. Always? I'd be lying if I said I did. I delight in the fact that it is with me when I need to bring it to mind because I took the time to study it. Deep study, with a commentary by a great theological mind, is almost always edifying while I do it.

Ezekiel3626 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

Honestly, it's habit that makes the difficult less difficult for me. If I don't have the habit then the thing becomes even more difficult than it was before I had the habit.

We used to be very sporadic in my home with respect to family devotions because I didn't always want to sit at the dinner table and eat. Forcing ourselves to eat earlier so we could interact with the kids and pray and sing with them made it much easier. It's delightful while it is occuring but I don't look forward to it with relish.

I've honestly never found anything in life that is worth doing that isn't hard to do consistently. Maybe I'm just not spiritual enough but the most beneficial things are usually the hardest to get excited about while sloth is incredibly easy.

Do I take delight while I'm reading the Scriptures? Sometimes. Always? I'd be lying if I said I did. I delight in the fact that it is with me when I need to bring it to mind because I took the time to study it. Deep study, with a commentary by a great theological mind, is almost always edifying while I do it.

Well said; thank you for your honesty, sir.

kvanlaan · #7 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 12:38 AM

Can any of us say that they made it through Leviticus with interest unabated?

Staphlobob · #8 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I follow Jesus

Rich, what happens when habit becomes difficult?

To use the terminology of an old RC, it's probably a "dark night of the soul." (John of the Cross) The Lord will allow us to endure such things so that we may grow. Perhaps in your case it's meant to teach that we are not to be so dependent upon emotions and/or feelings in evaluating our love for the Lord and our devotion to His Word.

Perhaps there are other elements in your life that are bearing upon you. Any stress, worries, anxieties? Oftentimes such moments are good for self-examination.

One thing we can probably look at is the role of Satan here. He will certainly attack those who are believers, but often ignores unbelievers (he's already go them cornered). So in a negative way there is relief to know that Satan hates you.

Suggestion: Keep up the discipline regardless of its difficulty and your feelings of boredom, dullness, etc. It may last a while, but this valley also comes to an end.

Machaira · #9 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I follow Jesus

I am a fast reader, one of the things I wanted to do this year is reread the Bible cover to cover, I once used to go through the Bible at the rate of a Book a week. People, it seems so difficult now. I get side tracked and I am ashamed to say...sometimes bored. Why was this once so joyful? Why does it now feel like a chore. I feel guilt for feeling like this which make it worse. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! Does anyone else ever feel like this or has anyone ever had this dry spell.

Have you ever thought about trying an audio Bible? I've found that there is a considerable amount of time wasted when I'm out and about in my car. So I now put that time to good use by listening to the Scriptures via mp3 audio. This might just be the change you need to spark your zeal anew.

If you don't want to purchase an audio Bible, you can download the mp3's for free here.

The Bible reading plan that I use can be found here.

etexas · #10 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Staphlobob

To use the terminology of an old RC, it's probably a "dark night of the soul." (John of the Cross) The Lord will allow us to endure such things so that we may grow. Perhaps in your case it's meant to teach that we are not to be so dependent upon emotions and/or feelings in evaluating our love for the Lord and our devotion to His Word.

Perhaps there are other elements in your life that are bearing upon you. Any stress, worries, anxieties? Oftentimes such moments are good for self-examination.

One thing we can probably look at is the role of Satan here. He will certainly attack those who are believers, but often ignores unbelievers (he's already go them cornered). So in a negative way there is relief to know that Satan hates you.

Suggestion: Keep up the discipline regardless of its difficulty and your feelings of boredom, dullness, etc. It may last a while, but this valley also comes to an end.

The Dark Night of the Soul thing is a BIG part of it! ( I used to go to a Catholic school).......I like many asppects of that book in particular endurance. Thank you.

JDWiseman · #11 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 01:48 PM

I hesitate to make this statement, because it could be twisted in an unhealthy, merit-based way; however, usually I've found that most of my "dry times" relative to Scripture derive from inattentiveness to "keeping the heart" in my personal life.

When you paddle along in a river of callousness, carnality, or indifference, you can't really just "jump stream" and get in the current of Scripture just by opening the book. I don't mean that to sound pietistic or mystical. Just that illumination by the Spirit and understanding the written word obviously take place in the context of a regenerate life. And when you avoid the duties of sanctification, you often lose the hunger and thirst for Scripture.

But you can't take that too far; you always have to realize that God can place you in dry times whenever He chooses, for whatever reason He chooses, and it might have nothing to do with anything in your spiritual life; and in those cases, all you can do is bow the head and continue on with your spiritual duties.

I was thinking about this for myself the other day, and came across this in William Whitaker's Disputations on Holy Scripture:

Quote:

I answer, in the first place, by confessing that all things are not immediately understood upon the reading even by the learned, especially in the prophets and the Psalms. For to enable us to understand the scriptures, there is need not only of reading, but of study, meditation, and prayer. But if, for this reason, the people ought not to read the scriptures in their own tongue, then even the learned ought not to be permitted to read them. However there are many things which can be understood, though not all: and assuredly, all things which are necessary to salvation are plainly delivered in scripture, so as that they can be easily understood by any one if he will. And men would know more than they do, if they would read and hear the Scriptures with that attention which they ought to bestow. For the reason why most men understand so little, and gain such slender advantage from the reading of the scriptures, is to be found in their own negligence, because they neither give a religious attention to the perusal of them, nor approach it with the proper disposition.

VirginiaHuguenot · #12 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 01:52 PM

Well said, Josh.

Thomas Watson and Thomas Boston both wrote useful helps to approaching God's Word most profitably. I have provided links on this page.

etexas · #13 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDWiseman

I hesitate to make this statement, because it could be twisted in an unhealthy, merit-based way; however, usually I've found that most of my "dry times" relative to Scripture derive from inattentiveness to "keeping the heart" in my personal life.

When you paddle along in a river of callousness, carnality, or indifference, you can't really just "jump stream" and get in the current of Scripture just by opening the book. I don't mean that to sound pietistic or mystical. Just that illumination by the Spirit and understanding the written word obviously take place in the context of a regenerate life. And when you avoid the duties of sanctification, you often lose the hunger and thirst for Scripture.

But you can't take that too far; you always have to realize that God can place you in dry times whenever He chooses, for whatever reason He chooses, and it might have nothing to do with anything in your spiritual life; and in those cases, all you can do is bow the head and continue on with your spiritual duties.

I was thinking about this for myself the other day, and came across this in William Whitaker's Disputations on Holy Scripture:

[/b]

Wow! Thanks. The Whitaker quote was great.

etexas · #14 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 11:59 PM

A breakthrough tonight! I put in the Bible on CD and read along with my Bible! It was incredible! Helped me break through my block. I recommend this to anyone who gets out of their Scripture reading habit.