Start with Prayer

Against Distractions

Beginning with prayer may seem rather obvious, but you should seek to maximize your time in study and, therefore, your prayer should be directed at such. To this end, not only should you pray for clarity as you study God's Word, but you should also recognize any distractions you are currently facing and pray against those things, as well. As we know, Satan does not want you to engage in the study of the Bible. Therefore, he will use any distraction he can to deter you from those efforts. These distractions can also include ministry opportunities and service. Carving out time and dedicating ourselves to study is just as much a discipline as serving others. Remember, even Christ, himself, sought times of solitude to seek the Father. Discipline yourself to do likewise so that you can further your understanding of God's Word.

For Clarity and Understanding

Pray also that God would reveal his Word plainly to you and that he would give you a clear and sound mind to understand it in its original context. We want to be careful and not allow current situations to inform our Bible interpretation. Instead, we want Scripture to inform and direct our responses to our situations. For example, let's say that you were just irritated by someone at your job, and you are currently reading about Israel's journey through the wilderness. On some occasions, God was very angry with nations who oppressed his chosen people, and he had those nations destroyed. Should you bring your irritation to your study time, you may incorrectly interpret God's actions as vengeance versus a passion for demonstrating his holiness and faithfulness to his chosen people. As such, you may find yourself preferring God to rain down fire from heaven on your coworkers instead of examining your attitude and actions in light of his call to be set apart and forgive those who have wronged us (see Luke 9:53-55). Remember, it benefits Satan for you to misinterpret Scripture just as much—if not more—as you not reading it at all. Sometimes, misinterpretation can be more harmful than no interpretation.

For Endurance and Commitment

Finally, pray for your endurance and commitment to study. There will be times in which you will uncover a nugget of greater insight that encourages you along the way. That encouragement may be enough to carry you for a few days. However, there will be other times where it may feel as if you're trodding through deep mud just to get to the other side. Pray that your strength and faithfulness may continue through all seasons of study. Some days, it may feel like you're running, while, on others, it may feel as if you're barely crawling. Regardless, pray that God gives you the endurance to keep moving forward.