A somewhat recent controversial trend on some college campuses has been the introduction of safe-spaces—places where the student body can be sheltered from ideas and notions that might challenge them or make them feel uncomfortable. I cannot think of anything more oxymoronic. College is a place of education, where the mind is supposed to expand and grow in maturity and knowledge. But how can there be any kind of intellectual growth without intellectual challenge?
In the same way, how can a Christian’s spiritual life deepen without the often difficult experience of change and transformation?
No one really enjoys challenges. If they did, we might call them crazy. It is human nature to look for the path of least resistance, where the minimal amount of effort is required. On one hand, this may be a good thing. It forces us to become efficient workers and invent better methods of accomplishing a goal. But when applied to spiritual growth, the fear of challenge is one of our greatest enemies.
Hebrews 4:12-13 says “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Change and transformation are some of the greatest gifts for the Christian in the Word of God, and as stated in the passage above, the Word of God intends to change the reader. A Christian pursuing God in the Bible is in a state of continual change, much like a caterpillar in a chrysalis. Within the chrysalis, a change is occurring with every passing moment. The body of the caterpillar is being broken down and rebuilt into a much more beautiful creature. In the same way, the Word of God takes the Christian’s ideas, beliefs, and even personality and breaks it down only to rebuild the Christian—not for the Christian’s glory, but for Christ’s.
True Christians who love the Lord and desire above all else to be molded by Him will not shy away from the challenges presented in the words of the Scriptures but will embrace them. But even these believers still have human imperfections and will falter every now and then. Here are three disciplines to apply to your own Bible reading.
Be consistent
Imagine a baker baking a loaf of bread. He puts it in the oven, and then a minute later takes it out, and then a minute later puts it back in, and then takes it out, and puts it back in over and over. The bread is baking, yes… but it is taking way too long. In the end, the bread will not be as good as it might have been if the baker had been consistent in his baking.
The same applies to reading the Word. If a Christian reads sporadically—with seasons of not reading at all—the fruit of his or her labor will be as minimal as his or her effort. A Christian is a member of the royal family and has no reason to be content with the crumbs falling off the king’s table, especially when he or she has an open invitation from the king to sit and partake of the feast in all its fullness.
Be open minded
Have you ever read a portion of Scripture that seemed to say something you did not immediately agree with? Maybe it is a verse that is often used to support a doctrine you do not subscribe to, and in your head you immediately follow it up with an argument against that particular interpretation.
While it is good to have an opinion on interpretation, your opinion should never be sheltered from challenge or question. Instead of reading with a guarded attitude, our prayer should instead be David’s, “Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me” (Psalm 43:3). Our desire when approaching the Bible should never be to further support our favorite doctrines in our minds, but to test them. We must allow our comfortable beliefs to crumble to the ground and make way for God’s truth.
Be singularly focused
Let’s go back to the imagery of the chrysalis. Imagine for a moment that the caterpillar inside is thinking to itself about the structure of the cocoon, or becoming impatient to get out into the wide world, or maybe even wondering why it had to encase itself in its tiny prison in the first place. All the while, no matter how the caterpillar feels about it, the cocoon has one purpose: to turn its tiny inhabitant into something beautiful.
When we approach Scripture, we naturally have a lot of things on our minds. But the one thing that we must focus on is what the Word is actually about. It isn’t about us at all. It is about Christ. Everything Scripture touches is transformed in accordance to who Christ is. Sin is defeated because He is the Conqueror. Hearts are softened because He is the Bridegroom. Intellects are enlightened because He is the Teacher. We are molded and transformed because He is the Potter.
Let these things motivate you, believer, to not become tired from the effort or fearful of the change that awaits you. He is a kind King and a gentle Teacher, but His designs are more glorious than you can imagine. The journey there will be difficult, but the reward is incalculable.
