1. No Faith
Do you begin your Bible time with a defeated spirit? Imagine if you went into your job that way. “Well, I know I’m not going to accomplish much today, but I guess I’m here”. Guess what? You’re not going to accomplish much, and you’re not going to get anything from God with that spirit.
God can and God will help you understand His Word if you approach it by faith.
2. Unconfessed Sin
Sin is a separator. If you have problems with your spouse or your parents, you find that those problems make it difficult to communicate with each other. It may even make it hard to be in the same room together. It’s been said, “Keep the account short”. You shouldn’t have to go through a laundry list with God because it’s been days, weeks, months, or years since you’ve confessed your sins and asked for forgiveness.
Confess your sins daily.
3. Stubbornness
We live in a debate culture. Social media has heightened that for the sake of clicks and views. How many debates have you seen where someone changed their mind? They may have even been humiliated because their point was lacking evidence or the skill set to back it up. Still, they remain convinced that they are right.
You have to go to God with an open mind and heart.
4. Only reading passages you enjoy and understand.
What books intimidate you? What books are less exciting for you? Genesis is a great beginning book of the Bible because it covers so much history in one book. By the time you begin Leviticus, you may be discouraged because it doesn’t have the stories and drama that Genesis has. I encourage new converts to read the Gospels, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. However, God gave us the whole Bible. Your lack of understanding a book should whet your appetite to know that book more. I have never studied a book to know it more and regretted it. Books that I use to think less exciting I see different now because I determined to know them more.
Make it your mission to know the Bible completely. Take it one book at a time with books you don’t understand.
5. Reading books about the Bible in place of the Bible.
This one is personal to me because I’ve written three devotional books. Devotionals, commentaries, and other Bible aids are not meant to replace your Bible. Those are all men telling you what the Bible says. When you read the Bible, you are listening to God tell you what His Word says. I made a decision a long time ago as a preacher when studying for sermons to first read through a passage and allow the Lord to work on my heart and make my notes before I open a book.
Books about the Bible can be a help, but you can live without those. You can’t live without the Bible.
6. Failing to see the big picture.
The sixty-six books of the Bible have different stories, themes, and were written in different timeframes. Amazingly, they are all connected by a common cord that unites their stories. The big picture is Jesus! The Old Testament is leading up to Jesus’ coming, and the New Testament is looking back and forward at Jesus’ 1st & 2nd coming. It’s all about Jesus. The Old Testament sacrifices were about Jesus and the New Testament church is about Jesus. Jesus is the common theme of all books of the Bible. Keep this in mind and look for pictures and truths that mirror the Saviour as you read.