My friend Kristi recently asked if I have a favorite Bible study for moms and honestly, even as recently as 5 years ago, I would have/could have rattled off a list of a dozen or so. "But now", (I just love a well placed "but", don't you?) my thoughts on this subject have changed.
I've been pondering Kristi's question for about 4 days now and while I do have a list of favorite Bible study teachers (Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Jennifer Rothschild, Kay Arthur), here is the real answer for the mom (woman) out there looking for a good Bible study: the "best" Bible study is the study of the Bible.
"Well duh" you say, but hear me out. I'm currently (and oftentimes) involved in a women's Bible study group where we each have a book that provides daily homework and once a week, we gather to watch a DVD by the author and then discuss what we've discovered over the previous week. And it's good. Hardly a day passes that I don't open up my little study guide, open up my Bible alongside and hear something from God. It may be the tiniest whisper, but I hear Him.
As long as the Bible study teacher you are studying has a solid, Biblical foundation and has a study that calls to your heart, I say, "Go for it!" And by the way, if you are in doubt about who/what you're about to study, ask your pastor (or you can ask me and I will ask mine!).
But, and here's the real deal: a woman who has a deep desire to dive into "a" Bible study, will always (always, always, always) be blessed by simply diving into her Bible. Sadly, most of us don't know how to study our Bibles so we default to a book/dvd type (not that there's anything wrong with that) but why not challenge yourself? Why not challenge yourself to:
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (2Timothy 2:15)
What the heck does that mean?", you say. Well, for example, take the word "diligent"; according to Webster's, it means
"characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking"
- So, we learn right off that we should make steady, earnest and even energetic effort toward "presenting" (to make a gift) ourselves to whom? To God!
- As what? As a skilled worker.
- Skilled at what? Understanding what His Word says.
- What will be our condition when we go before God as a gift? We will be, according to Webster's, without guilt, self-consciousness, or doubt.
- And why is that? Because we are able to "...correctly explain the word of truth." (New Living Translation).
- And of course, to whom are we explaining this "word of truth"? To anyone who asks! We must "...be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." 2 Timothy 4:2
{And wouldn't that be comforting? To be on break at work and have someone ask a question that skips across the waters of scripture providing you an open door to speak God's Word? And be able to do it correctly without being self-conscious about what you DON'T know because you are so confident in what you DO know? #wow}
That is probably one of the simplest Bible study methods (not really a method, just an idea) on the market (and it's not on the market, just in my brain)! We're an inquisitive gender, why not ask questions about the verse you're reading (and no matter what you ask, God doesn't roll His eyes at you)! But, how do you find a verse to read? I would suggest that you:
- Using a concordance (see below), look up verses for the issues you are currently facing in your life (for me right now it's anxiety and yes, the Bible speaks to anxiety!)
- You may find a concordance in the back of your Bible, on line or go old school with an actual hard back copy (shameless plug: http://www.lifeway.com/)
- Ask God to direct your reading and as He impresses upon your heart (i.e.,"jumps off the page at you") one or two of these verses that you read, begin to ask these questions, as well as others that come to your mind
- Journal your responses and your progress and your problems
- And if you're brave enough (gads!), memorize that verse
You may not be able to sit at the lunch table or in the break room or in your Sunday School class and talk about the latest Bible study you did but, YOU ARE STUDYING THE BIBLE. God doesn't so much need us to DO Bible studies as He longs for us to study the Bible. Study HIM. Love HIM.
And I can assure you, as you study His Word, as you study His character, as you love Him, you will dive down deeper into the sea of who He is and how He wants to love you than you ever dreamed imaginable.
And of course, if you have the time and drive, grab any one of the go-zillion Bible studies available at stores such as (shameless plug) Lifeway and get crackin'! You won't regret it.
