I love the Bible! For more than 35 years now, I’ve been studying God’s Word, and it has drastically changed my life. It’s been the key to radical transformation in my perspectives and attitudes, and God has healed and restored my spirit, soul and body through the power in His Word.
God is a God of restoration and wholeness. We see it all throughout the Bible. John 3:16 says, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (NKJV). Second Corinthians 5:17 says that as new creations in Christ, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new, and verse 21 says we become the righteousness of God in Christ.
Getting Back What Was Lost
I love what Luke 19:10 says: The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Notice this doesn’t say “who was lost,” but “that which was lost.” Jesus came to save us from our sins and to restore whatever was lost. It could be the scars of childhood, something you missed out on, something that was stolen from you… Whatever needs to be restored to wholeness spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically, Jesus can bring healing to that part of your life.
One of my favorite scriptures is John 10:10, which says that the thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). This shows us that God wants us to enjoy our lives, and Jesus came to give us abundant life. And John 1:4 says, In [Jesus] was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.
Redefining Life
The Greek word for Life is Zoe, which means “life as God has it.” Think about that: life as God has it. What does it mean? Is God worried? Is He anxious about anything that’s happening in the world? Is He frightened? No! God is perfect and holy. He is always peaceful, joyful and confident. And He wants us to have this life through our relationship with Christ.
So many people are not living the life God has for them. They are anxious and worried about their situations, they don’t have peace, and they aren’t joyful. I know what this is like because I used to be a miserable Christian. I was angry most of the time and very hard to get along with. I didn’t have any peace, and I was not enjoying my life.
When I finally became so tired of being miserable and was desperate to have peace, I cried out to God for help and got serious about my relationship with Him. I started really studying the Word, and my life began to change.
Becoming New
God has done so much in my life that I’m not remotely like the person I used to be! I’m still learning and growing in my faith every day, but it’s amazing how far I’ve come because of what God has done in me.
The key to this radical transformation was discovering that the Word God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective…(Hebrews 4:12). John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God. So when we spend time studying the Word, we’re spending time with God. He works in our hearts, making us more like Jesus in our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors.
Quality, Not Quantity
Now, I had read the Bible before this point, but I was doing it to fulfill a religious obligation, not to have a relationship with God. I would read a chapter a day, check it off my list, and I wouldn’t necessarily learn a thing. I needed to study the Word, not just gloss over it without really thinking about it.
So often we read the Bible and focus on quantity, not quality. But no matter how much Scripture you read, if you aren’t learning anything and acting on what you learn, it’s not going to do you any good.
It’s so important for us to understand that we need to allow God’s Word to permeate our heart, or we can’t have abundant life in Christ and live out God’s plans and purposes for us. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Get Started
But the best news is that God loves you unconditionally, and He wants to help you. He wants you to be whole in Christ and enjoy the great life He’s planned for you. In His Word, you will find everything you need to discover restoration and wholeness…to be the person you were created to be. The key is studying the Bible and doing it consistently so you can continually grow in your relationship with God one day at a time.
If you need help to get started studying God’s Word, we have some free resources for you on our web site, like our Everyday Study page. They are simple approaches for you to get in the habit of daily Bible study or to go deeper in your relationship with God and His Word.
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word. When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer. There’s nothing that’s too hard for Him, and He can make you whole—spirit, soul and body!
Article First Appeared at Joycemeyer.org
