The Importance of Bible Study

From Natalie Sorrell:

The month of January is the time where people decide to make goals or resolutions, and last month I made a decision to start spending more time with God and studying His word more. I doubt that I was the only one that made that goal, too. I can't say that I have been perfect since then, but I definitely have tried. I realized my need for taking more time to study and decided I would do the best that I could.
So, today I would like to talk a little bit about the importance of Bible study. Okay, I know life is busy, people. I realize not everyone has time every day to spend 2 hours studying. I knew I didn't, but I did know I needed to spend more time than I had been.

I think it's important for us to know our reason why we study, and not just a random goal that we decide to fit into our lives. Why should we study? In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 it says, All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. That to me sounds like an encouragement to study the word, right? We need to read and study the word of God so that we know the doctrines, for reproof, and for correction, so that we can grow and believe with our eyes that this is the way to go. It's also a way of knowing why we believe what we believe. It's not just because our parents told us we should do these things, it's because God commands in His word. Studying won't only perfect the man, but it will also help us with witnessing to others. In 1 Peter 3:15, it says, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: So not only does studying help with us personally, it helps to be able to witness to others more effectively. People won’t believe doctrine if it’s just coming from your personal mindset. They will be more accepting if you show where that is at in the Bible (that’s where Bible memorization comes in).  Besides these two obvious reasons to study, there are also other reasons to why studying can be beneficial in your walk. I know for myself, procrastinating is a weakness of mine. I put off things when they should be done first. Studying gives me a reason to work on my procrastination. Procrastination really shows where our affections are. Will I choose what I want, or what God wants? I need to put away my wants... and do what God wants out of me— to spend time with him more. Another reason why studying is helpful is that it can truly show our devotion to God. In a way, we don’t need to prove to God where our affections are because He already knows our hearts, but at the same time... we do need to show Him how much we care and how much we want to spend time with Him. Finally, studying helps us overall to stay focused on Him. After we have made Him our number one, we will gain ground and gain knowledge. We will become a better person in general.  I can say for myself that studying gives me a chance to breathe, to not get so caught up in life. We have a lot of pressure from the world. Whether it be from outside friends, social media, or work. There is pressure.
I am getting a headache just thinking about it.
Studying is a gust of fresh air to me. It’s exciting and fun to find things in the Bible that you didn’t know before, and knowing that you have a better understanding gives confidence.
Another point I would like to say is... MAKE STUDYING FUN. Use highlighters, pens, sticky notes, etc. It’s fun to make your notes personal.

This has been a challenge of mine and I hope that this will encourage anyone else who has had the same goal this year. Keep up the good work! Have a marvelous day!
- Natalie Sorrell