I have come to realise that reading my Bible and praying every day build you up in ways you may not even realise until you begin to see the difference in yourself.
For me, whenever I read my Bible, I feel fed. I feel full. The Bible says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6), and that is exactly how I feel.
There have been times when I have felt sad, weak or as though I was not doing enough in my walk with God. I would feel bad about not reading my Bible or praying as I should. But as soon as I opened my Bible and began reading a verse, a chapter or even a few scriptures, I would feel better. The sadness would begin to lift, the bad feelings would ease, and the condemnation would go away.
It made me realise that when we read our Bible, we are feeding our spirits. We are eating the Word of God. We are feeding ourselves with truth and sustenance. Just as our bodies need food to survive, our spirits need the Word of God. It fills us, strengthens us and helps to remove the things weighing heavily on our minds and hearts.
The Word of God feeds you, even when you do not realise how hungry you are.
The Word of God Is Alive
I have personally experienced moments when a scripture has just jumped into my heart. It is almost as though I can feel something entering my heart, and the Word suddenly becomes real to me.
The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, and that it penetrates deeply. This reminds me that the Word of God is not just something we read with our eyes. It has the ability to reach the deepest parts of us.
David speaks about hiding God's Word in his heart (Psalm 119:11). When the Word is in you, it begins to transform you. It works in you. It becomes something you carry with you, something that shapes your thoughts, strengthens your mind and influences how you respond to life.
There is power in the Word of God because God Himself is supernatural, and these are His words. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:11 that His Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it.
This reminds me that the Bible is not an ordinary book. It is the Word of God, and it is alive and powerful. It is at work in us fulfilling its mission, even when we do not immediately recognise what it is doing.
Sometimes, you may read a scripture that does not seem to relate to what you are going through. You might be reading about something completely different from your situation, yet somehow, the Word still speaks to you. It gives you understanding, comfort or strength in a way you did not expect.
That is one of the things I have come to love about reading the Bible. You may not always know what you need to hear, but the Word of God has a way of reaching you where you are.
However, we must believe in the power of the Word and continue to make room for it in our lives.
Prayer Is Simply Talking to God
Prayer is another reason why we should spend time with God every day. Prayer is how we communicate with Him. It is how we build our relationship with Him.
Think about being in a relationship. Communication matters. You need to speak to one another, share your feelings and talk about what is happening in your life. You cannot build a relationship with someone if you never communicate with them.
It is the same with God.
Talk to Him about what is wrong. Tell Him what is happening. Share your feelings, your worries and the things you are struggling to understand. You do not always have to know exactly what to say. Sometimes, you may feel overwhelmed and not even know where to begin. But tell Him that, too.
Tell Him that you are overwhelmed. Tell Him that you are tired. Tell Him that you are struggling.
Prayer is not just about asking God for things; it is also about becoming closer to Him. It is about sharing your heart with Him and growing in your relationship with Him.
The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). To me, this is a reminder that we can continually communicate with God. We can speak to Him throughout our day, not just when we are in church or when we have set aside a specific time to pray.
Sometimes, I think we can make prayer seem so complicated that we forget what it is: talking to God.
If you find prayer difficult to understand, try thinking of it as a conversation. Speak to God naturally. You do not need to have everything figured out before you approach Him.
Of course, prayer is more than an ordinary conversation. It is a spiritual act of communicating with God. But sometimes, simplifying how we understand it can help us approach Him more freely.
Think about feeding a baby. You do not give a baby solid food before they are ready for it. You feed them milk first and gradually introduce other foods as they grow. In the same way, as we grow in our relationship with God, we must recognise that sometimes, things need to be broken down so we can understand them and apply them as we learn more about God.
Reading the Bible and praying every day benefits us. It helps us grow, gives us peace, fills us and strengthens us in Christ.
I have come to realise that reading my Bible and praying are not things I should do only when I feel sad, overwhelmed or in need of something from God. They are part of building my relationship with Him every day.
If the Word of God is what feeds me, I need to keep eating.
If prayer is how I communicate with God, I need to keep talking to Him.
And if I want to grow in my relationship with Him, I need to keep making room for Him in my everyday life.
Read your Bible. Pray every day. Feed your spirit, strengthen your mind and continue to grow in Christ.
Reflection Questions
Do you find it difficult to read your Bible or pray when you do not feel like it?
If you answered yes, what can you do to help yourself become more consistent? If you answered no, what can you do to continue growing in your daily Bible reading and prayer?
