Studying the word of God faithfully requires an attitude, an attitude that will help us focus on God and what He has to say to us. God’s Word is light and life and hope. It guides, delivers, and comforts. God’s laws are right and true and trustworthy. The Word of God gives wisdom and joy.

There is so much to be gained through the study of God’s word when done with the right kind of attitude. Reading the word of God with the right kind of attitude does not only give us knowledge about God, it makes us more like Christ, more compassionate, more responsive to people’s heartfelt needs, more forgiving, and in short better equipped to impart life and healing with our words and actions.

So, what should our attitude toward the Bible be?

Our attitude should be that of Obedience:
When it comes to the study of God’s word, be ready to obey what it teaches. Whether it be the spoken or the written word of God, we are called to obey it. Obedience is better than sacrifice. It is important that we approach God with an attitude of willingness and immediate obedience. We are called to be obedient to God’s word in big things and little things, day in and day out. When we embrace an attitude of humility and obedience towards God’s word, we are sure to reap great rewards.

Our attitude should be that of a disciplined learning:
We need to be disciplined in learning. We should prepare our hearts for learning at all times. We cannot expect God to reveal things to us unless we make the effort to learn.

Our attitude should be that of a teachable heart:
Prepare your heart to be teachable. The word of God teaches us everything we need to know about our journey in this earth. We must be willing to receive our heavenly father’s instructions. We need to have a desire to be taught by him (Psalms 119:102-103, Isaiah 50:4).

When we are teachable, we approach God’s word humbly with willingness, even anxiousness and yearning, to peer into the deep recess of our hearts where some besetting sin might reside.

There are times when we might think we are wise spiritually or self righteous, but we must remember not to boast for it, because it is God who has made us what we are and not we ourselves (I Corinthians 1:30-31)

We can never learn everything contained in God’s word on our own. Our study of the Bible is a life-long never ending process that will continue even to eternity, for we know God’s word will not pass away (Mathew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33)

Our attitude should be that of Sacrifice:
Be ready to sacrifice your time to learn about God. We have so much going on in our lives, sometimes we forget about God. We should be ready to sacrifice other things to make room for the study of God’s word. We need to make God first in our lives. God is pleased with a sacrifice that costs us something, especially when it comes to the study of His word.

God desires for us to give time for the study of His word, He is pleased with a sacrifice that comes from true love and obedience. Let us put the time we have at God’s disposal for the study of His word. Let us have an attitude of sacrifice when it comes to the study of God’s word.

Take away

We need the right kind of attitude, the one that comes from the father though the Holy Spirit.  With the right kind of attitude in studying God’s word we are able to clearly see when our desires or actions are against God’s will. When studied with the right kind of attitude God’s word convicts us and helps us to shape our thoughts to be like his thoughts. And when we truly know God through the revelations contained in His word, then our spirits are joined with His spirit, which is the source of living water, and in this way our greatest need is met- the need for life itself.

The more we read the bible, and listen to the Holy Spirit teaching us, the more we are able to do God’s will (Psalm 119:130), but it has to be done with the right kind of attitude.