Have you ever wondered how you actually study The Bible and live like you’re supposed to? How to get a fulfilled life that Christ wants you to have? I have and I’ll be honest, it’s something I struggled with for the longest time. Now, I am no pro but I can tell you what works for me.
I know the big book with crazy words like thou, art, thee, ye, and shalt can throw you off and be intimidating and that’s okay! We will discuss this and break any feelings of intimidation in this Guide To Living The Life You Were Called. Make sure you have a quiet place, preferred Bible in the translation of your choice, a commentary, a journal and pen. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
The Three P’s – A Guide To Living The Life You Were Called
First and foremost, the first P is PRAYING. It is absolutely necessary to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you in your studies. Without Him, we will not even begin to understand anything about that big book called the Bible. The stories will seem crazy and cause you to ask yourself, “ummm okay, did that really happen?” or “What did I even get from this?” I was always taught that the Bible is our guide to life, every answer to our problems and heartaches are in this book. There is a story that has similar parallels to situations you may be facing. There is a person from the past that has felt the exact same way as you might be feeling right now. The stories allow us to see the outcome and how God provided right on time. It is the living and breathing word of God – we need the breath of the Holy Spirit to unlock His words for us. It’s the key to this book.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12
Things to pray for before you start:
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you on where to start, some might pick a book or a topic to study. Sometimes I just open my Bible and wherever I land, I read it! You’d be surprised that you might just find exactly what you were looking for.
- Before you begin reading, talk to God about what’s going on in your life, be open and ask for forgiveness of anything that may block you from hearing from Him. Pray that God will speak to you through His word and reveal to you what you need to learn.
- Go ahead and thank Him for what it is He is going to do for you during your time with Him.
This is a very important step as it keeps us in communication with God and through out your studies and you will need to keep the lines open with Him. You might find yourself asking Him to help you with something you may not be understanding.
The Second P is for Pondering. We need to slowly read The Bible and ponder on the words we are reading. Read a sentence or passage over and over and ponder on God’s word. Just close your eyes, say the verses and let it seep into your heart. God also likes for us to just to be still and know He is God.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How does this apply to me?
- What does it tell/show me about God?
- How does God feel about this?
- How can I use this passage to better live my life?
Continuously pondering on His word and allowing yourself to feel what God feels or the desires He is conveying though His word. These practices will help you keep your eyes focused on Him. Even when you are not reading The Bible, you can still ponder on the time spent with the Lord and pray with Him about as you continue your day. In return, you will grow spiritually and in your relationship with Him. You will be more confident in His love for you and His plan for your life.
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. – Proverbs 4:20-22
Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. Psalm 119:27
The Third P is for Practicing and applying God’s Word to your daily walk with Christ. Did He show you something in your life that needs to change? Work on changing it! It may not be easy but through Him, it is possible. We must always strive to do better with our lives and live the way He has called us to. Practicing is simply doing your part to live a Godly life. It is important to focus our minds on the good things of God, not the things of the world. Memorize scripture and hide into your heat so that you may not sing against God (Psalm 119:11). The more time you spend with God, the easier this part becomes. You will taste His goodness and desire more of Him. With all of these steps combined, you are on the right path to living the life you were called to live.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. – Philippians 4:8
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:9
I hope you enjoyed this blog and you will live the life you were called to live. I have been Praying / Practicing / Pondering and know that on this journey God is shaping me into who I need to be to get me to the life I was called to live. He will do the same for you! Please let me know of any tips you may have, I’d love to hear what works for you.
Xoxo,
Hannah B.
Collective Circle Gathering 