Business moguls, stay-at-home moms, toddlers, graduate students, and retirees—and everyone in between—all share the same inherent desire: to be happy. As humans, we’re hard-wired to crave joy, to seek it, and to savor it. Without it, life is meaningless. In some sense, finding joy in life is to truly live.
Yet most of us can agree—joy often feels elusive. As Christians, we sometimes struggle to connect the dots between the things we believe we should do (like read Scripture, pray, and serve others) and what really brings us a sense of joy, fulfillment, and peace.
How can we bridge the gap? How can we know God more deeply and live differently, finding joy in Him and life everlasting? When it comes to experiencing life to the fullest, does a relationship with God really matter?
Before we dive into three practical ways Bible study can make a difference in our lives right now, let’s consider the storyline of the Bible—the narrative of human history—to better understand where our story started…and where it’s all headed.
Creation
All of history, every era, and the lives of every person who has ever lived since the dawn of time—it all hinges on God. God, who created us with a specific purpose: relationship.
The Bible describes the creation of the world in Genesis 1-2 and centers on God, creating everything we see from nothing, simply because it pleased Him. The pinnacle of His creation? Humanity. God breathed His own life into a man and a woman, named Adam and Eve, appointing them as His vice-regents. They were called to help God rule His beautiful and flourishing creation, enjoying intimate fellowship with Him as they exercised dominion over creation and populated the earth with more people to know Him, work alongside Him, and sing His praise.
Whether or not we acknowledge it, that is the context into which each of us has been born. We exist because a sovereign, wise, loving, all-powerful God willed it—and wants us to know Him intimately. In fact, we were designed to function in the context of loving, secure relationship with God. When we try to live apart from God, disregarding Him and rejecting the intimacy with Him that He offers us through His Son, our lives reflect the dysfunction of life apart from Him. It simply doesn’t work as it should.
Fall
So, why would anyone choose to live that way? It all started in a garden.
Adam and Eve, our representatives in humanity’s first home with God (the Garden of Eden), were tempted by the devil, the enemy of God, to shirk off God’s loving rule and rebel against Him. The devil, who appeared to Eve as a serpent, tempted God’s friends to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, fruit that God had prohibited the couple from eating.
With the words, “You will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5), the serpent presented a world where Adam and Eve could live autonomously, ruling themselves, instead of submitting to God’s sovereignty. The fantasy was tantalizing, and Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.
At that moment, sin entered the world. From then on, humanity’s every inclination was “evil, evil, evil from morning to night” (Genesis 6:5-7, MSG). The root of this evil? Craving a life apart from God. No matter how appealing this delusion had seemed to Adam and Eve, the reality was devastating. With sin came death—and separation from God’s presence. The relationship humanity was designed for was irreversibly damaged, fellowship tragically broken.
Redemption
Until…Jesus.
God sent His Son to restore the relationship between God and all who would come to Him through faith in Jesus. By offering Himself as a perfect sacrifice for sin through death on a cross and being raised from the dead victorious over the grave, Jesus became “the way, the truth, and life” for all who believe (John 14:6). He is the way to God, offering us the truth about God and the life found only in God.
C.S. Lewis, beloved author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, wrote in his book Mere Christianity: “If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them.”
Through Jesus, sinners can draw near to God. We can get close to “the thing that has” joy, power, peace, and eternal life—God Himself. Amazingly, through Him we recover our purpose—living in intimate and loving relationship with God, working alongside Him in His purposes for the world, enjoying intimacy with Him that is true happiness.
Consummation
And one day, we will be nearer than ever before. The vision set forth in the Garden of Eden will be realized, as redeemed humanity walks again with God side by side, spending time with Him face to face forever in loving praise and adoration. Sin will be eradicated, and death and pain will be no more. Together, we will live with God in perfect harmony, intimate relationship, and eternal bliss.
3 Reasons Why Knowing God through His Word Matters Right Now
But what about until then? What about here and now?
- When bills need to be paid…
- When a loved one is sick…
- When a relationship is close to over…
- When you’re stuck in a dead-end job…
- When you’re ill with no cure in sight…
What difference does knowing God deeply make? When we’re presented with a choice to do the things we know we should do, like read God’s Word and pray, or to do what we want to do, like watch TV, eat, or buy stuff—will seeking to know God through His Word change anything? Does it really matter?
Friend, it makes all the difference.
Here are three practical reasons why knowing God through His Word is worth every minute.
1. It provides context for our suffering.
When life is difficult, we’re tempted to drown our sorrows in temporary hits of dopamine. Whether your go-to pick-me-up is retail therapy, a good meal, a thrilling book, or something else, we all often choose to numb our pain with earthly things, not Bible study.
But what if knowing God through His Word could actually provide us with a lasting tonic for life’s trials?
Job, after whom the book in Scripture is named, experienced more devastation in a few days than many experience in their entire lives. The loss of his family (except his wife), wealth, friends, reputation, and health all hit at once in a tsunami of hurt.
Chapter by chapter, Job questions God: Why would You let this happen to me? We can all relate to Job’s feelings of confusion and betrayal that often accompany painful events in our lives.
But after God answers Job, declaring His power and wisdom at length, Job falls silent (Job 40:3-5). No more questions, no more accusations.
God’s revelation of Himself provided Job with context for his suffering. He realized God was God—and he was not. God’s words about Himself anchored Job in reality: God is sovereign, wise, and good. We can trust Him, even when we don’t understand. And He is near, even when we can’t see Him working good in our lives.
As we know God more deeply through knowing His Word, we will find peace in remembering who God is, finding encouragement when the storms of life rage around us.
2. It’s where wisdom is found.
From what college to attend to how to care for our aging parents, we all face weighty decisions in every season of life. Navigating these can be daunting, even paralyzing. What if we choose the wrong path? What if we make a mistake? What if, what if, what if?
For life’s big decisions—and every moment along the way—knowing God through His Word is indispensable. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” To live wisely and skillfully, we need to be governed by awe of God and obedience to His ways as revealed in Scripture.
As Proverbs says elsewhere,
If you seek [wisdom] as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will discern the fear of the Lord
And discover the knowledge of God.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
Proverbs 4:4-5, 9
Bible study trains us in righteousness, giving us a deeper knowledge of God and His wise ways, which helps us make decisions that honor Him with peace and joy.
3. It’s where joy is found.
We know it’s true—in good times and bad, we go through life chasing joy, seeking the things, people, and activities that we believe will make us happy.
Psalm 16:11 (emphasis added) says,
“You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
According to Scripture, true, in-your-wildest-dreams joy is found with God, in loving, intimate relationship with Him through His Son. Ultimately, whatever season you’re in—whether your Bible study habit is sticking or you feel far from God—this is where the deep soul satisfaction we’re all seeking is found. Bible study, digging into the words of God, ushers us into the very presence of God—and extravagant joy.
Knowing God through His Word Really Matters
So, if you’ve been wondering…
Does knowing God through His Word really matter?
Will it truly make a difference in my life?
Here’s the short answer: Yes!
In life’s difficulties, when navigating important decisions, and for finding joy in between, knowing God through knowing His Word makes all the difference.
So, let’s dig in together, friends. Everlasting life and eternal bliss are at stake.
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