A strong, faithful believer in Christ confesses that his devotional life has lost its flavor and the Bible has lost its page-turning appeal. Will he ever enjoy God’s Word again?
The Problem
“The joy I once felt in reading the Bible is gone. It’s not that I don’t still try to apply biblical principles to my life; I do. But it feels old to me, or maybe distant is a better word. When I read it, I still gain value, but the thirst for it isn’t there. When I pick up the Word, I secretly look forward to finishing a section so that I can get into a different book or just watch TV.
“It’s funny, because I still recommend daily Bible reading to people. Certainly it is the best way to start growing spiritually. Most people around me probably think I’m an avid Bible reader; after all, I participate in church as much as the next person, and I know most of the ‘Sunday School answers’ to life’s questions.
“There is a shameful hypocrisy I feel in projecting interest in God’s Word yet picking it up far less often than I used to. Or in nodding along with the pastor as he speaks of the spiritual power of God’s Word. Is it possible to believe it but not feel it anymore?”
Thoughts from Trusted Leaders
Del Fehsenfeld
Some seasons in our spiritual lives are full of excitement and anticipation, while others are painful and depressing. But probably the most common season of life, especially as we get older, is plain boredom!
Let’s face it, it’s hard to admit that we are bored spiritually. I mean, how can we become uninspired by prayer or God’s Word? But it’s just as easy to get into a spiritual rut as any other kind.
One of the reasons your Bible reading may have grown stale is that you no longer feel a connection between the real questions of daily life and what you are reading in the Scripture. Adults learn on a need-to-know basis; so to whatever degree you feel disconnection between the Bible’s ancient words and modern living’s demands, the Bible becomes functionally irrelevant.
I’ll never forget a pastor who promised to give me a tool that would transform my Bible reading forever. He then handed me a blank sheet of paper and told me to begin recording one personal “takeaway” from my morning Bible reading and putting it in my pocket to review throughout the day.
Maybe that’s something you could try. It would change the focus of your Bible reading from merely gaining information to receiving practical guidance for real life. And by reviewing your takeaway throughout the day, meditation and prayer would naturally occur as well.
Del Fehsenfeld was trained as a family counselor and is the Publications Director for Life Action Ministries.
Wilson Green
Once, when experiencing the same dilemma you describe, I sought counsel from a wise brother. He shared that when he found himself in a “dry” spell, he would write the Scripture. One of the curses of our fast-paced world is that we can lose our ability to focus. Writing the Scripture may cause your mind to slow down a bit so you can consider what God is actually saying.
I took this challenge personally and decided to go for the whole Bible. So, for the past eight years, I’ve been writing the words of God. I’m on track to complete it next year! It has been amazing how often the Lord has used the particular Scripture I wrote on a given day to help me with a situation I had to face.
Get a small journal and ask the Lord what passage He would like you to write. Write between seven and ten verses per day, focusing and meditating on what you’re writing. Practicing this simple discipline may “jump start” your devotional life.
Wilson Green pastored for 21 years in Virginia and Illinois before joining Life Action in 1999. He currently co-leads a Life Action summit team.
Elyse Fitzpatrick
When we see the Bible as anything other than God’s letter of love and mercy to us, we’ll inevitably lose our zeal to read it. After all, do you want to read a letter from your crabby old Aunt Jennie, who is rather disappointed with you? You might feel obligated to read her words (after all, she is your aunt!), and you’re hoping that her letter might indicate the kind of inheritance she’ll be leaving, but her letter is hardly a point of interest for you. You’re reasonably sure it’s just more of the same—guilt-inducing reminders and “really shouldas.”
It’s the same thing with reading the Bible. When all we see is a list of “really shouldas” to please a demanding God who hasn’t shared in our life, then it becomes, frankly, quite boring. Who would want to read that? But when we see the Bible for what it is, the redemptive story of God’s love for us in Christ . . . when we begin to “know and believe the love that God has for us” (1 John 4:16), the Bible seems less a list of laws and more a love letter from the Savior. The Bible then sings a song of love to the listening ear of the humble.
Elyse Fitzpatrick has been a counselor since 1989. She is the author of over a dozen books, including Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety (Harvest House, 2001).
Advice
- Read Psalm 119, section by section, on a daily basis. Pray that God would use it to revive your interest in His Word.
- Get involved in discipling a young believer. Your years of church-going and Bible study have prepared you—the truth is meant to be shared, not just absorbed. Commit to read a section of the Bible simultaneously, then call or meet to discuss meanings and applications.
- Read a different translation of the Bible. Sometimes more academically oriented translations can feel “heavy” and tiresome. A fresh look at a familiar passage may pique your biblical interest.
- Put yourself on the front lines. Sharing God’s Word as a small group leader, jail chaplain, nursing home volunteer, or children’s ministry worker will drive you into God’s Word for answers and wisdom.
- Learn what it means to “pray the Bible” (see Praying the Scriptures).
Copyright © 2009 Revive magazine, Vol. 40, #3 “Bible Boredom,” by Life Action Ministries. Dr. Richard Fisher has served as a professor and regional director with Moody Bible Institute.