You will be able to get out of the funk once you learn what got you into the funk in the first place.
Getting into a Bible study funk is easy; however, getting out of one is hard. Being in a Bible study funk can take a toll on your Christian walk because it will hinder your growth as a believer. Since you are in a Bible study funk, it is highly possible you are bored with reading the Bible or at least you are bored with a certain part of the Bible.
If you are wondering if you are in a Bible study funk, here are four signs to watch out for:
1. Bored of the Whole Thing
One sign you’re in a Bible study funk is if you are bored with reading the Bible. This happens to many people because they have restricted themselves to only one book of the Bible or maybe only one part of the Bible. It could be that you have restricted yourself to only reading the New Testament and don’t often read from the Old Testament. Getting out of your Bible study funk could be fixed by reading outside of the Old Testament for a period of time before returning to the New Testament.
You need variety in your Bible study, and this is why you need to be innovative. Switch up which books you read and switch up different Bible reading plans. Maybe you have been reading the same Bible study for quite some time. Print out a new one or purchase a new devotional. Whichever you choose, it could help you get out of your Bible study funk.
If you find yourself bored, it’s time to freshen things up. Try some of these ideas or come up with some of your own. You could even choose to select a book of the Bible that you are not as familiar with to start doing a Bible study on. These strategies can help you get out of your Bible study funk.
2. No Excitement About Any Book of the Bible
A second sign you’re in a Bible study funk is if you’re not excited to study any of the books of the Bible. It could be you feel you just read all of the books of the Bible or you already know what they talk about. As someone who has been in your place before, there is something you can do to get yourself out of this funk. Choose any book of the Bible and read it one chapter at a time. As you read the book at this slower pace, you might be able to notice all the things you missed before.
I did this recently with the Gospel of Matthew. I slowly worked my way through this book of the Bible by reading one chapter a day. I was surprised to become aware of all of the things I had missed when I read this book before. During my undergraduate theology studies, I read the book of Matthew more times than I could count, and I thought I knew everything there was to know about this book of the Bible; however, upon reading the book slower and closer, I was able to see all of the things that I had missed.
I challenge you to do the same and see if it brings the excitement back to reading the Bible. Getting into a Bible study funk is common, but the important part is getting yourself out of the funk. If you allow yourself to stay in this funk, it could impair your walk with God and the growth you need as a believer. Stop the funk in its tracks and work on getting back the original excitement you had for reading the Bible!
3. Stopped Attending Bible Studies
A third sign you’re in a Bible study funk is that you have stopped attending group Bible studies. Maybe you used to go to a group Bible study at your church or you used to host one in your home. However, now since being in a Bible study funk, you have found that you have stopped attending group Bible studies as well as you have stopped hosting Bible studies in your home.
If you know this is true, try to start going back to the group Bible study. Maybe you can recommend a certain devotional or book of the Bible to your leader. More often than not, your Bible study leader should be happy to help. If you are the leader of the Bible study, maybe you could go ahead and change which book of the Bible the group is studying in order to bring a fresh start to the Bible study.
It should be noted that Bible studies don’t always have to be just on one book of the Bible. They can also be based on topics, such as worry, stress, or dealing with grief. The options are limitless when it comes to Bible studies, and there should be no reason for anyone to want to leave a Bible study out of boredom. Bible studies are rewarding when done right and group Bible studies can help you grow in your relationship with others as well as with God.
4. Replaced Bible Study Time with Something Else
A fourth sign you’re in a Bible study funk is if you have replaced your Bible study time with something else. Instead of doing your Bible study, you are watching television, hanging out with friends, or going to a workout class. While none of these things are bad, it is important that we take time to read our Bible and do our Bible study each day. Choosing to do something else with the time that you normally read your Bible and do your Bible study demonstrates you are in a Bible study funk.
If this is true for you, try to find out what made you replace your Bible study time with doing something else. Was it boredom, tiredness, or feeling as though you are not having any growth? You will be able to get out of the funk once you learn what got you into the funk in the first place. If boredom caused you to replace your Bible study time with something else, try a new Bible study or read a different book of the Bible that you are not as knowledgeable about.
If it was tiredness that caused you to replace Bible study time with something else, try to aim for eight hours of sleep each night and do your Bible study first thing in the morning when you are most awake. If it is feeling as though you are not having any growth in your walk with Christ, try to study the Bible for even longer and choose a Bible study that relates to you personally. There are numerous Bible studies you can use online and these are more so based on topics. In this way, it will help bring back Bible study time in your daily life instead of replacing it with something else.
Photo Credit: ©Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash
