I distinctly remember the day my time in the Bible went from being a “chore” to being a “connection.” For the longest time, I would approach Scripture like a college student the night before finals. Highlighters ready. Commentaries cracked open. Checklist in hand. If I checked the box, I would walk away feeling like a “Good Christian.” If I didn’t check the box, guilt would hang over my head all week. The Bible was a textbook I had to know, a roadmap I had to decipher, or at times an uninspiring list of “thou shalt nots.” Then life changed. I entered a season of significant loss and great unknowns, and I realized my textbook study just wasn’t cutting it. I didn’t need more knowledge; I needed Him to speak to me. I didn’t need another Bible lecture; I needed my daily bread.
If you want to grow in your walk with God, you have to quit reading the Bible out of duty and start treating it like a conversation. The Bible is not simply words on a page; we are reading the Spirit of God speaking life into our messy, real lives. If you grew up in church culture, you’re familiar with the weighty guilt of the “quiet time.” On social media, we scroll through perfectly filtered pictures of coffee and Bibles and think… “Ugh, not another nagging feeling telling me I’m failing at Bible reading!” The enemy wants us to treat God’s Word like another law to perform in hopes of earning His love. But your identity is secure as His beloved child. When you truly believe you are loved, “I have to” becomes “I get to.” You don’t read a love letter from your spouse because you have to; you read it because you want to know what he has to say. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, fresh off the presses. Psalm 119:105 tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet. Not a stadium light shining for the next 10 miles—we have all we need for the very next step.
For years, I tried to “domesticate” the Bible as if it were some ancient history textbook or collection of Christianese cheers me on. But brothers and sisters, the Word is alive. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and active, and that it does things to us. Have you ever been studying along and BAM, a verse leaps off the page at you? That, friends, is the Spirit taking a passage written thousands of years ago and tailoring its voice directly to your heart. Whether it be that annoying boss you can’t stand, the unknowns of what tomorrow may bring, or even the silent battles you’re fighting, Romans 8:1 declares there is no condemnation. But when we kick back our ‘Bible study’ gloves and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us through His Word, that’s when the fight starts.
If you’re looking to step out of religion and into a relationship with God through His Word but don’t know where to start, do what I did and try using SOAP. All you need is a notebook and some time. Let’s break it down…
S = Scripture, simply write out the verse or verses that jump out to you as you’re reading.
O = Observation, ask what’s going on in the passage and what it is revealing about God and his character.
A =Application. The “fuel” hits the road! Ask how this passage speaks to you today. What areas of your life do you need to allow Him to speak to? Be vulnerable and honest here.
P = Prayer, journal a quick prayer/response to God based on what you read.
When you take the time to sit and digest what God is saying to you through His Word, you stop trying to eat the Bible like a storybook. When you leave your “quiet time” feeling eaten up by God, you’re not going to feel very ambitious about your to-do list that day. Jesus described Himself as the “ Bread of Life.” Not the “Textbook of Life.” You cannot eat a week’s groceries on Sunday and expect to feel full by Thursday. We need our daily bread. Will you quit trying to “conquer” the Bible? If you have ten minutes today, allow God to push you, stretch you, and love on you. Come to him with empty hands and a heart that says, “Speak Lord, for I’m listening,” and He will give you the exact fuel you need for the next step.
Heritage and Legacy 
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